MovementFest LA
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LA POPS UP
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Dance Camera West
CALL FOR FILMS
to be presented in a curated in-person screening as part of MovementFest LA at LADP Studios. Filmmakers of selected works will be invited to attend and participate in a post screening talkback.
SUBMIT https://filmfreeway.com/DanceCameraWest
MUST USE CODE MVMNTFESTLA for $10 submission fee
Seeking Los Angeles–based dance filmmakers whose work:
Explores social issues through innovative movement design
Centers raw, human-focused storytelling
Engages with international narratives, including:
Migration
Heritage
Cultural exchange
Cross-border lived experience
Expands how movement is translated through the camera
We welcome experimental, narrative, documentary, and hybrid approaches to dance on film.
Dates + Times
7/29 | 8pm | Dance Camera West x LA POPS UP Film Screening
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MovementFest LA is a new dance festival founded by Mike Tyus, Jessie Lee Thorne, and Majella Bess, presented and produced in partnership with LADP Presents, the programming arm of L.A Dance Project.
The festival is rooted in the full life cycle of dance—creation, process, performance, and exchange. Filmmaking stands as a vital extension of this cycle, expanding how movement is captured, shared, and experienced.
This special evening of film screenings, presented in collaboration with Dance Camera West and LA POPS UP, celebrates the legacy and evolution of dance on film in Los Angeles. From its historical foundations to the bold voices shaping Los Angeles today, the program highlights dance on film as both archive and innovation. Part of the program will feature a curated selection of legacy Los Angeles dance filmmakers whose work has shaped dance on film, alongside new films selected through this open call. This creates a dialogue between generations of artists and honors both the history and the future of dance on camera in LA.
Venue: LADP Studios | 2245 E Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Curation hour
LA POPS UP
A Q&A with visionary choreographer Tony Testa
LA POPS UP @ COLBURN Zipper Hall 2026
This eclectic lineup celebrated a vibrant mix of styles spanning contemporary, hip-hop, poppin’, jazz, and more, reflecting the multicultural social fabric of LA. This dynamic program is a rare opportunity to see the raw, disruptive, and authentic artistry of LA dance filmmakers together in a cinematic setting. LA POPS UP offers both emerging and established creators a chance to push boundaries and share their work in a unique, immersive setting. Many of these creatives have worked behind-the-scenes on major film, TV, and music projects, from iconic shows like Euphoria and Pose, to artists such as Rihanna, Björk, and The Weeknd. The commercial success of these works, however, too often overshadows the personal artistry of the choreographers involved - and this project is here to challenge that! Featured artists include visionaries Tony Testa, The Seaweed Sisters, Bret Easterling and Julia Eichten, along with other L.A. choreographers shaping the future of performance on screen.
The vision of LA's most influential choreographers shines through their independent dance films
LA POPS UP
Dance camera West
LA POPS UP * Jan 24 * 7pm * Colburn
nine new shorts by SoCal Choreographers, followed by L.A. Premiere of Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber'sWAITING PLACES
LA POPS UP
LA POPS UP is a groundbreaking new project spearheaded by Hysterica Productions (Kitty McNamee) and Dance Camera West showcasing the personal vision of SoCal’s most influential choreographers that highlights the extraordinary talent within this diverse dance community. This year’s program is co-curated this year by Trudl Zipper Dance Institute Artistic Director Janie Taylor.
The Auguste Maya Kell-Abrams
2026 LA POPS UP/DCW filmmakers
bret easterling
charlotte griffin
devin waxman
ian eastwood
infinite flow dance
julia eichten
katherine helen fisher
keean johnson
maya kell-abrams
seaweed sisters
tony testa
