Can You Bring It is a unique, raw, and beautiful documentary about the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane dance company and one of the most important and unique works of art to come out of the AIDS Crisis.
The documentary uses historic, interview, and reality stylings to show the viewer every angle of the history of what many consider to be the foundation of modern dance. It shows the stakes that were in place, the grief and hopelessness the community felt, and what Bill T. Jones and his dance company made from that sorrow and grief: a celebration of life and those who were lost.
The surviving original dance troupe is interviewed at length with visual support from historic photos and video. Their segments are separated by a camera following the training of a young student troupe in 2018. Their teacher, a member of the original Jones/Zane troupe, work hard to teach them not just the choreography, but the raw emotions and the physical stakes that were present during the creation and debut of "D-man in the Waters" for both the troupe and the queer community at large. Throughout the course of the film, she helps these college-age dancers find their generation’s crisis and tap into those emotions.
This documentary acts as so much: an overview of modern dance, an interview of an influential dance troupe’s original members, a deep dive into Bill T. Jones’ mind and method, and a crash course on the AIDS epidemic. It can be raw, messy, emotional, and intense, but in these extremes, we can see a poignant honesty and beauty which is so often overshadowed by grief and de-colored photos from the period.
The use of many different recordings of "D-Man in the Waters" allows the viewer to compare the original troupe, Jones/Zane dancers who’ve done the dance over time, and the college kids preparing for their own performance without missing a moment of interjection by Bill T. Jones or the rest of the original troupe.
This is a documentary for anyone with an interest in dance, queer history, the AIDS crisis, or the modern foundations of art. It was visually stimulating and filled with powerful information and stories. Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-man in the Waters is a highly recommended film. Editor’s Choice. Aud: C, P.