Dancing in A-Yard
Sep 30, 2023 | IMDB 8
72 min Watch NowDocumentary
In prisons ruled by toxic masculinity, dancing is an absolute taboo. But at Lancaster’s A-Yard, near Los Angeles, a group of young men, willing to take a chance to be mocked in the yard, start a dance class led by French choreographer Dimitri Chamblas. This class quickly becomes an intoxicating escape from their grim reality so they decide to create a dance show. In this exceptional context, the inmates engage with overwhelming sincerity, evoking their childhood, ganglife, the crimes, the prison, and their desire for transformation. Beyond damaged lives and a prison system on the edge of the abyss, DANCING IN A-YARD explores redemption and the capacity of human beings to reinvent themselves, when given a chance. And more importantly, how art and introspection can help see the light.
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
The Big One
Cash Crop
Son of Torum
El Almafuerte
The Sparks Brothers
The Beach Boys - California Surfin
Wattstax
Fresh Start: A Marcus Harvin Story
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Dwars
Rize
Strip Down, Rise Up
Bowery
The World's Most Luxurious Prison
Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within
Carmencita
Dance for All
Fabulous
The Decline of Western Civilization
Martha Graham: The Dancer Revealed
SIMILAR MOVIES
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IMDB 8 | Oct , 2010
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IMDB 0 | Feb , 1989
In the same vein as Meri's other documentations, this one takes advantage of the glasnost policy to discuss the social and ecologic impact of the Russian oil industry on the natives and the lands they inhabit.El Almafuerte
IMDB 10 | Apr , 2026
The youngsters housed in the "Almafuerte" Maximum Security Juvenile Institute have their first approach to audiovisual recording. A film and documentary video workshop serves as an excuse for them to make a short film inside the prison. The camera is a rabid toy that generates fascination in them and rescues a sheltered, innocent smile that seemed forgotten under the shadows. While inside libertarian cries bounce against the walls, outside sounds fanfares of an iron fist.The Sparks Brothers
IMDB 7.3 | Jun , 2021
Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron & Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band’s favorite band.The Beach Boys - California Surfin
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2004
Wattstax
IMDB 7 | Feb , 1973
A documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the living conditions in the current-day Watts neighborhood.Fresh Start: A Marcus Harvin Story
IMDB 0 | Jun , 2024
“Fresh Start: A Marcus Harvin Story” presents an intimate portrayal of Marcus Harvin’s journey as he transcends his past to make a profound impact on the lives of those around him. The documentary offers a rare glimpse into Marcus’s daily life, capturing his heartfelt mission to share not only food but also compassion through his innovative non-profit organization, Fresh Start. Through candid interviews with key figures in Marcus’s life, including Stephanie Harvin, Babatunde Akinjobi, and Bradley Woodworth, the film illuminates Marcus’s unwavering determination and the vital support system that has helped him achieve his dreams. Viewers are invited to follow Marcus for a day, witnessing his dream project in action—an extraordinary restaurant concept where the only payment required is one’s presence.Zulu Rema has learned to fly
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2019
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IMDB 8 | May , 2025
Katelijne suffers a spinal cord injury in a boating accident. They refuse to accept life in a wheelchair. Katelijne does everything she can to regain control over her body and life and begins a long and complex rehabilitation process with perseverance.Rize
IMDB 6.7 | Jan , 2005
A documentary film that highlights two street derived dance styles, Clowning and Krumping, that came out of the low income neighborhoods of L.A.. Director David LaChapelle interviews each dance crew about how their unique dances evolved. A new and positive activity away from the drugs, guns, and gangs that ruled their neighborhood. A raw film about a growing sub-culture movements in America.Strip Down, Rise Up
IMDB 6.5 | Feb , 2021
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IMDB 9 | Jun , 2022
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IMDB 7.3 | Nov , 2020
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IMDB 6.4 | Dec , 2025
The story behind the Uganda-based YouTube dance sensations who have endured devastating personal loss from famine and war, and use the power of dance and song to overcome hardship.Carmencita
IMDB 5.2 | Mar , 1894
The first woman to appear in front of an Edison motion picture camera and possibly the first woman to appear in a motion picture within the United States. In the film, Carmencita is recorded going through a routine she had been performing at Koster & Bial's in New York since February 1890.Dance for All
IMDB 0 | Sep , 2007
Fabulous
IMDB 6.5 | Jun , 2019
Ninja is famous around the world for her fierce ballroom performances, but she is not as well-known in her native country of French Guyana. But a trip home to teach a workshop might change that.The Decline of Western Civilization
IMDB 7.2 | Jul , 1981
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.Martha Graham: The Dancer Revealed
IMDB 5.7 | May , 1994
Released on DVD as part of The Criterion Collection's "Martha Graham: Dance on Film" collection.