Films.Dance, International Film Series Featuring Artists from More Than 25 Countries, Premieres TOKE Free to the Community

Two of Los Angeles’ foremost cultural organizations—the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts—have teamed up with Chicago’s Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater to present Films.Dance, a groundbreaking new global free film series produced by and under the creative direction of LA-based Jacob Jonas The Company. Films.Dance is being made available to the public at no charge. One of the most ambitious international dance film projects ever undertaken, Films.Dance engages more than 150 artists from 52 cities in 25 countries, culminating in 15 short films that have been shot during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Toke premieres February 1, 2021, 9 AM (PT) and then can be streamed on demand. Set in the urban metropolis of London, Toke is an intimate portrait of Danish-born dancer Toke Broni Strandby. An inspiring story about triumph, Toke is a celebration of the beautiful resilience of the human spirit. London-based award-winning filmmaker NONO and cinematographer Eira Wyn Jones captured Toke’s unique story, set to an original score by Paulo Gallo and with an original costume by Japanese designer Kazuya Kojima. Director: NONO Choreographer: Stuart Shugg Featuring: Toke Broni Strandby Composer: Paulo Gallo Cinematographer: Eira Wyn Jones Costume Designed By: Kazuya Kojima Produced by: Jacob Jonas The Company Through non-traditional collaborations across cultures and continents, and led by the vision of Jacob Jonas, the worldwide series connects the perspectives of diverse artists from a range of disciplines, dance genres, abilities, and experiences. Filmed in locations ranging from Amsterdam, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, and London, to Los Angeles, New York, Nigeria, and Spain—Films.Dance exists at the intersection of dance, music, fashion, and film. Each Monday through May 3, 2021, one film will premiere for free at 9 a.m. (PT) on the Web at https://www.films.dance, on Instagram on the @films.dance account, and the Films.Dance Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/globalfilmseries.