“Life's Ballet: A Gift to Borrow” Screens in New York

This June, we gathered in New York for an intimate screening of our latest feature documentary, Life's Ballet: A Gift to Borrow.

The film screened on June 15th at DCTV's Firehouse Cinema, a remarkable space housed in a historic firehouse in lower Manhattan. The room was full of people who knew the story firsthand: former students, longtime admirers, and friends of the woman at the heart of the film, including Broadway star Kelli O'Hara. After the screening, Jo Rowan herself joined the audience for a lively Q&A over Zoom, taking questions and sharing stories with a room full of people whose lives she helped shape. Watching the film with an audience who lived parts of this story, and then hearing from Jo directly, made for a moment we won't forget.

The Story

Life's Ballet: A Gift to Borrow explores the remarkable life and legacy of Jo Rowan, a pioneering dance educator who built a world-class university program and inspired countless students through her passion and discipline. More than a biography, the film is a meditation on artistry, purpose, and the delicate balance between creating, teaching, and ultimately letting go.

To tell it, we blended vérité-style 16mm footage, intimate interviews, and archival material, capturing Rowan's enduring impact as both an artist and a mentor. The 16mm approach was a deliberate choice. It gives the film a texture and warmth that honors the era and discipline Rowan came from, and it reflects the kind of work we care about making: cinematic, considered, and built to last.

The Collaboration

Life's Ballet was co-directed with Wendy Garrett and produced in partnership with 5th Position. It stands as a testament to a life lived in motion, and to what becomes possible when the right collaborators commit to telling a story with care.

What This Film Represents for Waterdrum

For us, Life's Ballet is the kind of project that defines what Waterdrum Films is here to do. It is a feature documentary with real ambition, a subject worthy of the screen, and a craft-first approach from first frame to final cut. The New York screening was a milestone, and the film's journey is just beginning.

We're proud of this one. If you have a story with this kind of weight and you're looking for a team to tell it well, let's build something lasting.