When the Martha Graham Dance Company commissions a dance from Andonis Foniadakis, the known tensions between the company’s cherished Graham technique and the Greek choreographer’s style promise a dynamic new work. As cameras follow the creation of Echo (based on the myth of Echo and Narcissus) from its first rehearsal through its world premiere 25 days later, other tensions arise: the struggle of the choreographer to articulate his vision, the striving of the dancers to please him, unforeseen issues with casting decisions and injuries—and always the implacable deadline of the performance. The filmmakers capture the creative process with candor, intimacy, and suspense.  AT

Filmmaker Q&A following screening