A STATEMENT FROM THE WRITERS
The competitive dance world is an all too familiar space to me and my daughter, Audrey, who immersed herself in it since the age of 3. For a decade and a half, rehearsals, competitions, road trips, hair buns, and shitty hotels made up the subculture my family found itself immersed in.
A couple of years ago, Audrey represented the state of Kentucky in the “Dance Masters of America” national dance competition. It was her final event after 13 years of competing.
During this championship, I would steadily send my writing partner, Rick, pictures and videos of a world where pure dedication and drive mix with over-the-top southern pageantry.
This beautiful, strange, funny and often times inspiring world hidden in convention centers and hotel lobbies around the country and attended by millions of dedicated young dancers has never, to our knowledge, been fully represented in film. It deserves it.
After a heartfelt collaboration with producer extraordinaire Jason Reed (Mulan, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and insights from Audrey regarding all things dance and young womanhood, we combined our experiences as fathers, and Rick and I wrote this unique story that we see as “Little Miss Sunshine” meets “Rocky.”
It’s a story about rediscovering family and finding yourself. It’s about learning to accept what is and letting it shape you into something honest and inspiring. It’s about recognizing who you are through the memories of those you love most.
-
Steve & Rick
SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. MOMENTS LATER
Cars speedily whoosh by as Claire and Kat stare at the disabled vehicle - Jason leans on the hood of the car.
JASON No. No Triple A.
CLAIRE Why not?
JASON
Cause you gotta learn to deal with unexpected bullshit. Like flats.
Kat heads to the back of the car and begins unloading luggage.
CLAIRE
Not if you have Triple A.
JASON
What if there is no Triple A?
CLAIRE
Like, they go out of business?
JASON
No. What if you get a flat while driving around... (he struggles to think of a place)
Who even knows. You know, like...
KAT (O.C.)
Cambodia!
JASON
Yes! Cambodia. Good one.
SHE DANCES
A father and daughter struggle through their disconnection as they travel to her last dance competition. They attempt to repair their relationship and reconcile a shared tragedy while she dances through the glittered fever dream that is the “Miss Kentucky, Southern All-State Dance Jam Nationals.”
INT. MAIN STAGE. WINGS. MOMENTS LATER
Claire and Kat collect themselves before an ecstatic Jamie and a stunned Jason come running up to the girls. Jamie’s hands ball into fists raised above her head.
The three women speak in stage whispers. Claire and Kat fighting to steady their breath.
JAMIE
Oh. My. God. You two. Oh my god.
JASON (quick whisper)
Oh my god.
Jamie kisses the girls on the cheek.
JASON (CONT’D)
Guys! That was incredible. You guys are freaking incredible.
JAMIE
How’d it feel?
CLAIRE
Felt like we crushed.
STEVE ZAHN - Jason
Steve’s film roles include Reality Bites (1994), Shattered Glass (2003), Sahara (2005), the Diary of a Wimpy Kid trilogy (2010–2012), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). On television, he appeared on HBO’s Treme (2010–2013), and as Mark Mossbacher in the first season of the HBO satire comedy miniseries The White Lotus (2021), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award. He won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in the film Happy, Texas (1999). The idea of doing She Dances with his daughter Audrey, his partner Rick, and old friend Ethan excites him more than anything that he’s ever been involved with in film.
AUDREY ZAHN - Claire
Audrey Zahn’s dance career spans most of her 21 years. Her competitive dance achievements include: Miss Dance Tennessee 2019, Miss Dance Kentucky 2020, and Miss Dance America Top Finalist 2020. She was featured in the short film, Safe. And Wasting Everyone’s Time, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2021, directed by Rick Gomez. She was also featured in Wildcat directed by Ethan Hawke. Audrey is a rising junior at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. Some of her theatre credits include: GREASE (Patty Simcox), PETER PAN (Tinkerbelle), JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAM COAT, THE LIGHTNING THIEF (Annabeth), XANADU (Kira), and EURYDICE (Eurydice).
ETHAN HAWKE - Brian
Ethan made his film debut in Explorers (1985), before making a breakthrough performance in Dead Poets Society (1989). Hawke starred alongside Julie Delpy in Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy from 1995 to 2013. Hawke received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Training Day (2001) and Boyhood (2014). He recently directed the feature film Wildcat, the cast of which included Steve and Audrey. Ethan was a groomsman in Steve’s wedding, so it is incredibly special to have them portray such dear friends in She Dances.
MACKENZIE ZIEGLER - Kat
Mackenzie appeared as a child for six years on the Lifetime reality dance series Dance Moms. Ziegler has appeared on other television series, including the sitcom Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. She starred in the Brat TV high school drama series Total Eclipse. She also competed on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors and starred as Dorothy in a holiday stage pantomime adaptation, The Wonderful Winter of Oz, in Pasadena, California. Ziegler has accumulated more than 14 million Instagram followers, 22 million TikTok followers, 3 million YouTube subscribers, and one million Twitter followers.
INT. BRIAN’S OFFICE. MOMENTS LATER
Brian and Jason enter the well worn office. Fifteen years of hard work represented by awards and photos that line the walls and shelves.
JASON Ooo. I made a playlist.
Brian’s eyebrows arch, unsure.
BRIAN Cool.
JASON
For the drive. It’s like a bunch of songs we sang together when she was a kid.
Brian (no it’s not) Suuuuper cool.
JASON
And I thought we’d have lunch at a place we used to go to(beat)
I got some surprises under my hat.
Brian
Is that an expression?
JASON No. No, i don’t think so. It’s just, I really - you know, want it to be okay for her.
Brian Just be there. That’s all you gotta do. Be there. For her.
COMPARABLE DANCE ROUTINES
SCREENPLAY INSERT
INT. REHEARSAL ROOM C. LATER.
That sits. Jason really thinks about it and answers honestly.
JASON No. No, I’m not sure. I’m not sure.
Claire takes her father’s hand.
CLAIRE
When I wake up in the morning, I have this one second where everything seems fine, like everything’s normal. And then it clicks, and this sick wave comes rushing in, and I remember how awful it all is, and that feeling crushes me - a horrible sad. This empty. Does that make sense? You know what I’m talking about?
Jason’s voice catches as emotion pushes into his chest.
JASON I know it.
DANCE PARTNERS
JENIFER WESTPHAL
Founder, CEO and Executive Producer
Named one of Variety’s “10 Producers to Watch” in 2020, Jenifer has served as executive producer for countless awardwinning documentary and independent films, including the Sundance hits NIGHT COMES ON, SELAH AND THE SPADES, and THE BLAZING WORLD. Her films have played at Sundance, SXSW, DOC NYC, Tribeca, Toronto, Cannes, Venice, and more. Her current project in post-production is ON SWIFT HORSES starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter.
JOE PLUMMER
President and Executive Producer
Joe produced the Film Independent Spirit Award-winning FAREWELL AMOR and executive produced the nominated COLEWELL starring Karen Allen. He was executive producer on Irish Film and Television Award-winning hit AISHA starring Letitia Wright and Josh O’Connor, and Emmy-winning documentaries such as FEELS GOOD MAN, ATHLETE A, and ART & KRIMES BY KRIMES.
Wavelength is an award-winning film and content studio committed to developing and producing great f**king stories. Based in New York City and London, Wavelength is helmed by Variety’s “2020 Producer to Watch” Jenifer Westphal and Joe Plummer.
Wavelength’s film credits include the multi-award-winning and 2023 Emmy-nominated documentary, LET ME BE ME, Venice 2023 feature documentary THANK YOU VERY MUCH on Andy Kaufman, and ON SWIFT HORSES starring Daisy EdgarJones and Jacob Elordi. Additional films include Tribeca 2022 Best Documentary THE CAVE OF ADULLAM, award winners WERNER HERZOG: RADICAL DREAMER, BITTERBRUSH, AISHA starring Letitia Wright and Josh O’Connor, immersive sound documentary 32 SOUNDS, Emmy-winning FEELS GOOD MAN and ATHLETE A, and Sundance award winner, CUSP. Wavelength also produced and financed David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s coveted Broadway musical Here Lies Love and rock musical The Who’s Tommy.
Wavelength’s branded content and commercial division offers a full suite of services ranging from creative consulting to physical production and post, bridging the gap between brands and creatives by providing a streamlined, one-stop shop for innovative storytelling. The team has worked with agencies and clients across a variety of industries, including top brands such as lululemon, American Express, MyFitnessPal, Uber Eats, Taco Bell, Vosges Haut-Chocolat, and Hpnotiq.
RICK GOMEZ
Director/Writer
Founder of Macaroni Art
Rick wrote and directed the first three episodes of AN UNCANDID PORTRAIT which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and has been optioned by Bedrock Entertainment in partnership with ITV. Rick is currently directing the docuseries YOU BELONG HERE and will direct the upcoming limited series HOT FRUIT.
STEVE ZAHN
Writer/Actor
Founder of Macaroni Art
Steve founded Macaroni Art with Rick after starring in the first episode of AN UNCANDID PORTRAIT. He serves as producer on all of Macaroni Art’s projects, including the docuseries YOU BELONG HERE which is currently in production. SHE DANCES is his first screenwriting endeavor.
COBY TOLAND
Producer/Editor
Co-Founder of Macaroni Art
Coby and Rick became a prolific creative duo, generating material that ultimately evolved into AN UNCANDID PORTRAIT, which Coby produced and edited. He co-founded Macaroni Art with Rick and Steve, and will produce and edit the various projects currently in development.
JENNY GOMEZ
Producer
Co-Founder of Macaroni Art
Jenny is an award winning independent film producer. She produced the feature film THE WEEK and recently she produced AN UNCANDID PORTRAIT where she also used her extensive dance training to choreograph the episode SAFE. AND WASTING EVERYONE’S TIME, starring Audrey and Rosemarie DeWitt. Jenny is currently the Board Chair of AVFilm in Healdsburg, CA.
