Dancing in A-Yard

Dancing in A-Yard (72 min)
Filmmaker: Manuela Dalle

In prisons ruled by toxic masculinity, dancing is an absolute taboo. But at Lancaster’s A-Yard, near Los Angeles, 10 young men are breaking this taboo by inviting French choreographer Dimitri to create a contemporary dance class, signaling a huge step towards their rehabilitation and hope for release back into society and ultimately creating a new prison culture.

This intimate film examines Los Angeles County Prison’s progressive A-Yard as a beacon of hope within the California prison system. It deconstructs preconceived ideas by exploring the spectrum of participants’ masculinity and their desire for transformation.