Jada, a young, determined dancer, battles chronic disability and mounting pressure as she trains to pursue a dance career. Despite pushback from her doctors, friends, and dance coach, she attempts to preserve her hip health in an unconventional way through at-home remedies and DIY treatments.

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I grew up in competitive dance. It was really and truly all I ever knew. So You Think You Can Dance every Sunday with mom, and Dance Moms on Tuesdays at my dad's. It followed me everywhere I went. Competitive Dance is no easy feat, especially for a 10-year-old. We would walk in the studio during the daylight and come out to pitch black. But for some reason, we didn’t mind… Time in the dance studio ceases to exist.

I had to stop dancing once I entered High School, not because I wanted to. My body couldn’t keep up. Grieving the loss of dance is still one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I can’t help but ask myself, what if I never had to?

“The Death of a Dancer” is a deeply personal story, but told through a different set of eyes. Jada is my vision of how life could have been if I had stopped receiving medical treatments and surgeries for a chronic disability known as Bilateral Shallow Hip Dysplasia.

This film dissects the ugly truths behind suppressed medical trauma and how hard it can be to ask for help. It also questions how far young athletes are willing to push themselves to get what they want. This film is dedicated to those going through daily life carrying the weight of an invisible disability. This film is in memory of my “past life.”

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Just because you were broken once, does not mean you stay broken forever.

Peace & Love,

ELLA mf NILES [Writer, Director]