LIFT-Dance Doc Following 10 Years in Young Dancer Living In Public Shelters Finding Joy through Dance

LIFT is touted as young dancers' journeys from homelessness to the ballet stage. This is only a fraction of what makes this ambitious documentary so astonishing and profound. The film is viewed through the lens of Steven Melendez and follows his mentorship of several young people living in homeless shelters. Melendez was himself raised in homeless shelters in NYC.  Melendez's miraculous life goes from being homeless, raised by a single mother to becoming a principal dancer with NY Theater Ballet.  Today, Melendez is at the helm of NY Theater Ballet as its artistic director. Melendez's rise to a professional dancer and artistic director is remarkable. But, what he achieves through mentoring children in NYC's homeless shelters is nothing short of miraculous. While being given sporadic glimpses of Melendez's lovely dancing, we're swept up in what he's given back to his community by his commitment to young people, by his ongoing positiver presence in their lives and the opportunities he present for them to pursue their passions through dance. He was living in a homeless shelter at age 7 when he was given an opportunity to enroll in the NY Theater Ballet Project, LIFT. Video of Melendez's performances are scattered throughout this absorbing film that takes us inside the shelters and into the homes of families struggling with poverty and the difficulties holding down jobs while caring for their families. The film is captivating as we watch the exuberant faces of seven, eight and nine year old girls and boys mature into adolescents with lives which become more complex and problematic as they get older. Melendez meets with parents of young dancers struggling with work schedules while trying to get their children to and from school and dance classes. We watch Victor Abreu develop into an exceptional dancer as he seeks to maintain a balance in life with the inherent demands of being a professional dancer. Yolanssie Cardona changes from a precocious pre-teen who "wants to be a dancer" into a beautiful high school student who has gotten into disciplinary problems at  school which derail her high school graduation. The stark, natural aesthetic of the cinematography highlight NYC life commuting on its gritty subways and bustling streets. The smart editing makes the 10+ years flow fluidly while coming into sharp focus. Passing moments are accentuated by the buzzing and clanking of locked doors and shots of the city's ubiquitous fencing. The harshness of life in homeless shelters and city dwelling contrasts with the magical and. beautiful world of ballet. Moreover, we're shown a wonderful world in which the challenges of homelessness and poverty are mitigated with the assistance of others.  LIFT is an uplifting documentary that soars with the healing powers inherent with dance.