Learning Opportunities

We are proud to have produced two documentary films about the transformative power of participating in the arts

I AM

Created FreshFly, directed by Glenn Holsten. 2017. Click to watch the official trailer. 

The film “I Am” follows the journey of 6 students from St Katherine’s Special Education School and 8 dancers from the Pennsylvania Ballet’s Second Company to create a fully realized Ballet piece choreographed by Jessica Kilpatrick. For 10 weeks Filmmaker Glenn Holsten and his crew from Freshfly productions documented this journey, a product of our ENCORE program, where people with disabilities engage with the arts in a participatory way.

The original piece was performed live at Art-Reach’s Cultural Access Awards in May, 2017. This project broke the mold of how Art-Reach creates programming and is a milestone for us and the Pennsylvania Ballet’s Community Engagement Program. The film premiered on September 19th, 2017 at the Prince Theater.

Special thank you to Impact100 Philadelphia for supporting our program and film.

Interested in Hosting a Screening of I AM?

Please click here to fill out the Screening Request Form and an Art-Reach Staff Member will contact you shortly.

Live Out Loud

Created FreshFly, directed by Glenn Holsten. 2020. Click to watch the official trailer.

Live Out Loud is a documentary film by FreshFly, that tells the story of two groups of students coming together to learn how to tap dance and how to listen.

Students from the Overbrook School for the Blind are working with dancers-in-training from the Pennsylvania Ballet’s Second Company to rehearse a tap dance as a part of Art-Reach’s ENCORE Program. Together, they share insight into each other’s worlds.

The original tap piece was performed live at Art-Reach’s Cultural Access Awards in May, 2018, and the film premiered on WHYY on July 26, 2020.

Special thanks to Glenn Films, FreshFly, Independence Foundation, PA Ballet, Independence Public Media Foundation, Impact 100.

Click here to learn more about Live Out Loud the film.