March 13, 1999 -- Art or artists are sometimes risky, but typical subject matters for documentary filmmakers. "Dancemaker" is the story of "the world's greatest living choreographer," Paul Taylor. The 89-minute film is both a biography of Taylor and a fascinating "on stage, back stage" peek at Taylor's creative process as he choreographs his extraordinary dance performances. Directed by Matthew Diamond, the film is a 1999 Oscar nominee in the category of Feature Documentary.

If you like dancing and the ballet, you will love this film. Many moments are devoted to just watching the dancers dance. Diamond offers you a great seat, as his camera gives you angles and close-up views you don't normally have when sitting in the theater.

But the best aspect of the film is watching and listening to the "dancemaker," Taylor. Before our eyes, Taylor creates his dances. He acquires ideas for dances from simple things such as observing how people walk. A piece of music catches his attention and we can see his mind working. He works one-on-one with a dancer, using trial and error approaches, seeking the right move. The dancers are both intimidated and respectful of Taylor, dutifully cooperating. Taylor is amazed what they will try or will do for him. These are personal, intimate moments. The dancers and the Paul Taylor Dance Company are his family. "It's not a democracy. It's creating an atmosphere and a team, a group of people who trust and count on each other."

Diamond interlaces rehearsals, archival footage of earlier performances, comments from dancers, assistants, and old friends, as well as the live performances. The past and present are intertwined, revealing Taylor, "the loner, the master at seeing the dark and the light." We are seeing art created and glimpsing moments of a genius at work. Film Directors pray for these moments to happen before their camera.

Beyond Taylor's creative process, we watch as he selects dancers and deals with the technical and business end of being a dancemaker. The group plans a trip abroad to India, discussing per diem. The Executive Director deals with unions and a strike. The Technical Director, working backstage, nearly panics when the sound (the music on tape) is lost for moments. The dancers continue dancing in silence until the music returns, right on cue. We watch Taylor, as he fires Jill, an older dancer who "hadn't improved." You get the idea. Beyond creating the dance, there is the multitude of business details to attend to.

Towards the end of the film, I felt the comments by Taylor, the dancers, and others became a little redundant. The information came off as testimonials to fill time as we watched the climax of the film build. Taylor was creating his masterpiece, the "Piazzolla Caldera." The dance is stunning and I would have preferred to just observe and absorb its beauty. We didn't need to be enlightened any further with their commentary.

The biography elements of this film offer slim information. We learn Taylor was a foster child, raised on a farm in Maryland. He experienced a lost love in Denmark. But despite these skimpy details of his past, we learn that Taylor's forty years of creating dances is a remarkable body of work. But this is not surprising as we feel his joy, his anxiety, his frustrations, and his satisfaction as a very rare and gifted dancemaker. After screening this film and even though I am not a huge fan of this art form, I would be compelled to "catch" a performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company on my next visit to New York.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Mike McElreath can be reached via e-mail as MikeM@uwyo.edu