When I'm Her | PBS Short Doc

Michael Cusumano was a luminary figure at American Ballet Theatre in New York and had a stellar career ahead of him, but trauma from his past prevented him from fully realizing his potential. Over time, he finds refuge and liberation by assuming an alter ego: a sparkly turban-wearing, Russian ballet instructor named Madame Olga. Through Olga, Michael is able to give aspiring dancers a place to flourish — and is the mentor he never had for himself. "When I'm Her" follows the double life of a dancer as he inhabits his alter ego, and as Olga challenges authority, takes on a life of her own, and generates a following for her unconventional ballet classes. Subscribe to PBS Voices so you never miss a new video: https://to.pbs.org/2XewHgX​ FOLLOW INDEPENDENT LENS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/independentlens Twitter: https://twitter.com/IndependentLens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentlens Directed and Produced by Emily Schuman Executive Producers Sally Jo Fifer Lois Vossen Editor Emily Packer Featuring (in order of appearance) Michael Cusumano Madame Olga Michael Apuzzo Director of Photography Donavon deCesare Composer Noah Fishman Post Production Supervisor David Schuman Additional Photography David Petersen Emily Schuman Sound David Schuman Pasquin Mariani Vice President of Production Royd Chung Senior Manager, Short-Form Content Pamela Torno Supervising Producer Clare Chambers Associate Producer Susan Cohen Consulting Producer David Petersen Colorist Steve Beganyi Post Sound Mixer Benny Mouthon, CAS Production Accountant Nancy Adams Legal Heather Butterfield Justine Jacob Title Design Lorenzo Fanton Special Thanks The Cusumano Family Broadway Dance Center Niko Chapelle Sarah Colt Lydia Cornett Amelia Erikson Filmshop Josh Gleason Emily Harrold Kanyok Arts Initiative Alex Kurze Alex Leff Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Stephanie Leke Evan Neff Hypatia Porter Mary Recine Ryan Rodgers Seiskaya Ballet School Ben Sozanski Maya Tepler Trey Tetreault Isaree Thatchaichawalit Will Thwaites Lana Wilson Cynthia Wuthmann UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art Independent Lens Original Series Funding Provided by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Acton Family Giving Ford Foundation John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Wyncote Foundation National Endowment for the Arts WHEN I’M HER is a co-production of SHOE FILMS INC. and INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS), with funding provided by the CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (CPB) This program was produced by SHOE FILMS INC., which is solely responsible for its content. © 2021 SHOE FILMS INC. All Rights Reserved.


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