In a city infamous for crime and high dropout rates, the Destiny Arts Center in Oakland, California, provides a safe place for teens to share their stories, build community, and express themselves through dance. Each year, 20 diverse students are accepted into the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company, where they spend months creating a performance based on their dynamic lives. Under the thoughtful guidance of Destiny's artistic director, Sarah Crowell, each journey reveals how collaborative art can serve as a foundation for personal discovery, growth, resilience, and hope. Capturing the powerful grace of a performing arts company for at-risk youth, FREE: The Power of Performance journeys behind the curtain to spotlight the intimate stories of five particular inner city teenagers whose lives are transformed by the power of collaborative dance.
"Even though you might shed a tear or two in sympathy, FREE is ultimately an uplifting, colorful documentary... Seems like these kids will be all right."
San Francisco Chronicle
"RECOMMENDED. Mixing personal interviews with street, home, rehearsal, and final performance footage, the stirring documentary captures the reality of everyday life for a group of diverse, talented, and gregarious teens, showing how involvement in the arts inspires hope and raises confidence."
ALA Booklist
"When public fiscal belts get tightened, arts programs for urban youths often suffer the most. This inspiring documentary slams home the point that nonprofits such as Oakland's Destiny Arts Program are vital not only to teens but to communities overall."
