Rabbi Joshua Stampfer Assistant Professor of Israel Studies, Nina Spiegel, will be present at the film for a Q & A session afterwards
Pierre Dulaine, four-time ballroom dancing world champion, fulfills a life-long dream when he takes his program, Dancing Classrooms, back to his city of birth, Jaffa. For generations, Jaffa has been a city divided by two communities that continue to grow increasingly apart. Over a ten-week period, Pierre teaches Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children to dance and compete together. The film explores the complex stories of three children, all of whom who are forced to confront issues of identity, segregation, and racial prejudice as they dance with their enemy. We watch Pierre transform their lives, confirming his belief that dance can overcome hatred and provide the first steps towards real change.
The film demonstrates the powerful role that the arts, and dance in particular, can play in enabling children to overcome prejudice and build strong personal ties with one another.
Winner of numerous awards including Best Documentary at the Denver Jewish Film Festival. Directed and Produced by Hilla Medalia with additional Producers Diane Nabatoff and Neta Zwebner-Zaibert.