How Celia Rowlson-Hall Became Hollywood's Go-To Choreographer

"reflecting on her choreography for director Mona Fastvold's new film, The Testament of Ann Lee, about the life of the eponymous - and unwavering - Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried). Lee was a member of the 18th-century Shaker movement, an offshoot of Quakerism with music and dance at the heart of their worship. A musical odyssey, the film traces Lee's journey from birth in Manchester to her death in the Shaker colony she founded in the US."

"Choreographing for a 2008 MGMT music video sparked a love of film, and alongside choreography, she has been writing and directing her own shorts and music videos ever since (most recently for Cameron Winter). Over two decades in TV and film, Rowlson-Hall has crafted movement for everything from indie favourites like Girls and After Yang to horror blockbuster Smile 2. She even turned in a small role in Charlotte Wells' Aftersun, choreographing its pulsating final scene."

"In conversation, Rowlson-Hall is bursting with a propulsive creative energy, and it's unsurprising that she seems poised to have the kind of starry moment that Hollywood hasn't lavished on choreographers since the heyday of the studio musical. Upcoming projects include Kristoffer Borgli's buzzy A24 vehicle The Drama, with Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, and Charlie Polinger's psychological horror The Plague. While blockbuster musicals might be sticking to a Broadway style of dance that melds pop and pantomime, contemporary dance is far"

Celia Rowlson-Hall moved from Virginia to New York to pursue contemporary dance and developed a wide creative practice that spans choreography, writing and directing. A 2008 MGMT music video sparked a love of film, leading to choreography and movement direction across TV and film for projects such as Girls, After Yang and Smile 2, plus a small acting role in Aftersun. She choreographed Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, a musical odyssey about the Shaker leader's life. Upcoming films include Kristoffer Borgli's The Drama and Charlie Polinger's The Plague, signaling growing mainstream recognition.

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