Enter the Faun

A collaboration between a veteran choreographer and her physically challenged star takes an unexpected and uplifting turn in this documentary by filmmakers Daisy Wright and Tamar Rogoff. Rogoff first saw actor Gregg Mozgala, who suffers from cerebral palsy, in a production of Romeo and Juliet, and instantly felt that he might be perfect as the faun--a half-human, half-goat figure of ancient Greek mythology--in a ballet she was contemplating, inspired by composer Claude Debussy's famous Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. When they began working together, however, Mozgala's characteristic gait—despite years of therapy, he walks without the heels of his feet touching the ground—made the dance moves impossible without losing his balance. The pair began a regimen in which Rogoff, even though she had no medical training, used her choreographic skills to help Mozgala overcome his fear and “realign” his frame, with the result that after a few months Mozgala was able to walk better (although still haltingly) and perform complex dance moves with his partners. Mozgala's doctor was amazed that while his patient's condition had remained unchanged, the nervous system had responded to Rogoff's innovative form of re-education. Enter the Faun eventually features clips from Mozgala's debut performing Rogoff's Diagnosis of a Faun, as well as footage of the two using what they had learned during their work together to assist others afflicted with cerebral palsy. Whatever the virtues of Rogoff's ballet—the excerpts are too scanty to judge—this film presents the inspiring story that lay behind its creation. Recommended. Aud: C, P. [Note: this title is also available with public performance rights for $299 from Alexander Street Press, www.academicvideostore.com.] (F. Swietek)