This dance documentary by Ron Honsa, which had its European Premiere last Friday at the Filmhouse as part of the Dance Film Festival, kept its promise: there wasn’t a moment when the dancers or the story itself stood still.

Featuring a long list of renowned dancers and artistic directors, the movie tells the story of a prestigious dance centre in the unlikely location of the woods of Becket, Massachusetts. Somehow, choreographer Ted Shawn turned a collection of barns he purchased during the Great Depression into a Mecca for dance, the Jacob’s Pillow dance school. Since the 1930s it has hosted the oldest dance festival in the U.S., the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.

After Honsa’s first dance documentary The Men Who Danced: The Story of Ted Shawn’s Male Dancers, Honsa continues along the same theme but focuses more on the dance itself, and how dance matters to the students training at the Pillow. Never Stand Still, rather than flatly commenting on the art of dance, takes us on a journey through the diverse styles performed in the Pillow, ranging from Charleston and modern dance to ballet with multi-cultural influences. We are allowed surprisingly close to the dancers; we follow stars like Rasta Thomas backstage, watch them train, see interviews with them, and are shown footage of intriguing performances held at the Festival. All of this authentically conveys the vibratory atmosphere of the Pillow without it appearing overly glamourised.

The compelling nature of this documentary also lies in the editing of archived footage of performances on the one hand, and candid opinions expressed by the students and choreographers at Jacob’s Pillow on the other. Honsa successfully avoids repetition and lengthiness by finding the right balance between narration and interestingly shot scenes, surpassing expectations of yet another dance documentary.

Although this will probably be most enjoyed by dance fans, it can be just as appreciated by documentary-lovers; it is altogether a well-produced and entertaining piece, with humorous interviews and a stunning cinematography. It leaves you with a deep desire to see this secretive place in the woods which almost appears too good to be true.