5...6...7...8 Trailer (2011)

Trailer for 5...6...7...8.

The award winning 5...6...7...8 is the inspiring story of Nova Jazz -- an elite girls dance company. The dancers, ranging in age from 10 to 18, are based out of The Pulse Performing Arts Studio, in Bedford Hills, NY. The film begins as a “year-in-the life” of Nova Jazz, but quickly evolves into an intimate portrayal of five key members, and the woman who makes it all possible. 5...6...7...8 delicately crafts the story of each character as the year progresses, culminating in the triumph of the final concert performance.

Our story takes place at The Pulse, a thriving suburban New York dance school with over 500 students. Jenn, owner, choreographer, and married mother of two, struggles to balance the demands of her business and the emotional needs of her teenage students. There are 41 girls in Nova, and the film focuses on five of them. Michelle and Olivia, both 16, become Captains of Nova Jazz, and find out all too soon that being a leader is not as easy as they first thought. Emilie, 18, the group’s only high school senior, is ready to audition for college to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional dancer. Diana, 16, has worked for three years to earn her slot in Nova. Now that she’s made it, will she continue? Finally we have Zoe, 17, who is new to Nova. She provides us with the point of view of an outsider, while struggling to fit in.

The individual stories are archetypes: coming of age, rite of passage, struggle for acceptance, etc. 5...6...7...8 relates each story honestly and intimately, allowing the characters to be themselves, and to tell their own story, with dance acting as a common thread.