FIRST TRY
Written and directed by Broadway choreographer, Josh Prince, First Try invites audiences to lean in to the art form of choreography by sharing the hopes and dreams of the intrepid artists who make dance. Prince reflects on his days founding the unique Manhattan-based dance incubator, Dance Lab New York, and we meet three choreographers on their individual journeys through the Lab as they each confront the challenges of choreographing while in quarantine. Buttressed by footage and interviews with Dance Lab alumni, the film serves as an inspiring love letter to dancemakers and an invitation for everyone to consider the people behind the dances we see.
First Try features choreographers Tilly Evans-Krueger, Ja’ Malik and Ariel Rivka.
The documentary also includes appearances from choreographers Ephrat Asherie, Joshua Beamish, Andy Blankenbuehler, Hope Boykin, Robbie Fairchild, Lauren Flower, Gierre Godley, Francisco Graciano, William Isaac, Lorin Latarro, Lauren Lovette, Asia Pyron, Yoshito Sakuraba, Bradley Shelver, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Preeti Vasudevan, and Brooke Wendle.
——
First Try has been honored with the 2022 Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Direction of a Documentary Release as well as Best Documentary Finalist and Best 1st Time Director Winner for New York International Film Awards!
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Dan & Marissa Aron
Melinda Atwood
Stuart H Coleman & Meryl Rosofsky
Caroline & Paul Cronson
Suzi Dietz & Lenny Beer
Michael Hartley
Maria Marshall
Stephen Kroll Reidy
PRODUCERS’ CIRCLE
Deborah & Charles Adelman
Jody & John Arnhold | Arnhold Foundation
Greg Blase & Jared Fine
Bill & Jo Ellen Buffie
Hannah Butensky & Les Aron
Jeff & Susan Campbell
Leslie & Richard Curtis
Susan Edelstein
John & Margee Falk
Lee & Lauren Feldman
Linda Florin
Barbara & Marc Freeman
Lawrence W. Greene
Laura Halzack & Eric Naison-Phillips
Ruth & Stephen Hendel
Jonathan Herzog & Bradley Schiel
Beth Jacobs
Roger A. Kluge
Stuart Kurlander & David Martin
Kate Lear
Mitch Lowenthal
Jonna C. Mackin
Claire & Chris Mann
Marcy & Paul Nathan
Org-ology Inc.
Eileen & Irwin Prince
Matt Quam
Robert Schulman
Kelly Butler Smith & Charlie Morgan
Greer & Peter Williams
William H. Wright II
DIRECTED BY
Josh Prince
LINE PRODUCER / FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Claire Buffie
EDITED BY
Unreel Films
Eric Mann, President & Founder
Michele Zarbafian, Editor
CONTRIBUTING VIDEOGRAPHERS
Eric Mann, Unreel Films
Matt Cerisano, Zipline Media
Brian Alberth, Left Effect Media
Shoccara Marcus, Shocphoto
Gian Marco Dela Cruz, Sayyo Production
David Egen, Trillion Pictures
Pedro Estevez
Eric Hipolito, Jr.
Caden Leavell
Daniel Robinson
Shady Theatrics
Tommy Walters, Zipline Media
MUSIC BY
Michael Shaieb
SCORE PRODUCED BY
Brent Lord
Dance Lab New York is the only independent organization exclusively dedicated to promoting and advancing the art form of choreography by gifting vital resources to a diverse range of dance makers. Since opening our doors in 2015, we have served over 60 choreographers. Learn more about our programming here.