About the Festival

Dance Camera West aims to foster ground-breaking creation of dance film, by supporting teaching, production, distribution of dance films. DCW presents an annual international festival held at renowned arts venues throughout Los Angeles, along with informative and educational events throughout the year, to bring dance off the stage and onto the screen, utilizing the language of film to reach a wider audience. 

DCW’s current core programs and services fall into three core categories: Prepare; Produce and Present.

DCW creates spaces for learning, funding for production, and audiences and revenue for screening films. DCW is a community organization that believes in affordable access to the arts and thus keeps ticket prices affordable as well as offering free events. Established presenters range from performing arts centers like The Getty Center, REDCAT/Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hammer Museum, Skirball Center, John Anson Ford Amphitheater, The Autry Museum, Theater Raymond Kabbaz, Track 16 / Bergamot Station; cinemas such as American Cinematheque’s Egyptian and Aero Theaters and the Laemmle Theaters have all presented Dance Camera West; and alternative spaces include city parks, pop up drive ins, and mobile film screen parades. 

Our Milestones

DCW 2022 marked the Twentieth Season of this world renowned dance film festival. 11 distinct programs include six nights of festival finalist screenings featuring a selection of the top 75+ international films, with a record number of U.S. and Los Angeles-based artists. The 2022 festival included a return live in person and virtual screenings, over 2 weekends at 2 los angeles venues, Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz and 2220 Arts & Archives.

DCW 2021 ran January 7 - 31, 2021. We have partnered with LA presenters The Broad Stage and Theatre Raymond Kabbaz to present live and virtual screenings throughout the month. Programs include a Drive In featuring Festival Award Winners, a virtual selection of international films, Documentary Days, as well as the winners of our newly announced Finishing Fund for underrepresented filmmakers.

DCW 2020 was able to increase the number of film submissions to a record setting 325 from around the world, and present a diverse selection of 50+ films from over 40 countries. The number of submissions, the number and diversity of films presented, the audience attendance, the balancing of the budget, the touring opportunities, the fundraising, the ability to pay artist fees and the online distribution deals. DCW also created an online version of the 2020 festival to replace our postponed touring opportunities, cancelled due to the COVID 19 health crisis.

DCW 2019 annual festival was replaced by historic screenings celebrating the centenary of Merce Cunningham, while the 2020 was concentrated into one 4 day event into one location, to create a strong singular voice for the festival.

2018-2019 was a rebuilding period for DCW, with a new Artistic Director, new Board of Directors, new staff and a concentration on rebranding and rebuilding. The festival hired designers and producers to create a new website and graphic identity, and developed a robust film program.

Dance Camera West Annual

Film Festivals Timeline

2002

The Getty Center - Free Film Screenings.

2003

The Getty Center, EZTV, Skirball, Egyptian Theater, Laemmle Music Hall, Bergamot Station 

2004

REDCAT/ Walt Disney Concert Hall - low cost film screenings. (2004), El Rey Theater, John Anson Ford Amphitheater - an outdoor screening of "The Red Shoes." (2008), Hammer Museum, TreePeople Studio City, Coldwater Canyon Park, in association with Tree People, where DCW created a hiking trail of film installations. 

2005

REDCAT, American Cinematheque, The Getty Museum, The Hammer Museum, Japan American Theater Plaza

2006

REDCAT, ArcLight Cinemas, UCLA LIVE, Indian Film Festival, Silver Lake Film Festival , Hammer Museum, LA Center for Digital Art, Grand Performances, Laemmle Music Hall

2007

REDCAT, Directors Guild of America, Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, American Cinematheque, Hammer museum, 18th Street Arts Complex, UCLA LIVE, LA Film Festival

The Music Center - Free - David Michalek’s Slow Dancing is an outdoor exhibit of video portraits featuring the worlds leading dancers. 

2008

REDCAT, Directors Guild of America, Hammer Museum, American Cinematheque, Braude Center Plaza, LA Film Festival

2009

REDCAT, Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study, Skirball, Hammer Museum, Braude Center Plaza, Autry National Center fo the American West - documentaries on the tribal performances of indigenous North Americans.

2010

REDCAT, Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk, Hammer Museum, Screen Actors Guild, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Cheviot Hills, Grand Performances, Goethe Institute

2011

Getty Center - Free Screenings. 

2012

DTLA: Grand Performances, California Plaza and Grand Park – pairing onscreen films with live performances throughout DTLA with several free outdoor components including a "Dirty Dancing Dance-A-Long". 

2014

GET WET in iconic water fountains within the city of Los Angeles as an exploration of the relationship between Los Angelenos and their water at LA fountain landmarks such as The Los Angeles Music Center, The Getty Center, Confluence Park, The LA River. 

Union Station - Dance Camera West partnered with the Los Angeles Film Festival for the 3rd Annual Dance-A-Long and movie screening. Participants were treated to a fun dance lesson prior to the films. This event has grown every year with huge enthusiasm from our audiences. 

2015

The Los Angeles State Park—Drive-In / picnic experience as the closing night event. 

2016

CAP UCLA - Free multimedia and interactive art installations at the Royce Hall Dance Media Lounge. 

Grand Park -  site specific performances by LA Contemporary Dance.

2017

Fowler Museum, UCLA - documentary Film Screenings. 

CALARTS -  CalArts @ Dance Camera West Emerging Artists Competition for students.

2018

Santa Monica Pier - Free Sunset To The Sea: Dance Concerts on the Pier taking place on the west-end of the Santa Monica Pier.

2019 

MOCA, USC - Cunningham Centennial Screenings

2020

REDCAT, Downtown Film Center, 4 day festival of 50+ films

2021

Santa Monica - DCW constructed a two day event featuring an outdoor drive-in during COVID shutdown in association with Santa Monica College and Broad Stage.

2022

January - 6 day festival at 2220 Arts & Archives and Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz

July - Dance at The Music Center, DCW-PNB Film Festival of films by Southern California artists

All year: Broadcast screenings with PBS (All Arts)

Streaming screenings with OVID.tv

2023

January - Barnsdall Arts Park - 4 day festival featuring in person workshops, artist meetings and 9 screening programs.

February - April - Series of Free workshops at The Music Center

July - Outdoor Screening of films by Southern California artists at The Music Center

All year: Broadcast screenings with PBS (All Arts)

Streaming screenings with OVID.tv

2023-2024

California arts Council Creative Corps $250,000 grant to produce 5 short dance film docs by underrepresented (BIPOC/LGBTQ/Unhoused/Domestic Workers/Mentally Ill) artists.