Enter the Faun

Gr 9 Up—Gregg Mozgala, a young man in his mid-20s, refers to himself early in this documentary as a disabled person. His opinion (and likely that of viewers) changes by the conclusion. Because of cerebral palsy (CP), Mozgala is unsteady on his feet and walks with a distinctive, almost lurching gait. Enter choreographer Tamar Rogoff, who has seen Mozgala act and feels he embodies the earthbound sensual faun she has imagined for a new production: Diagnosis of a Faun. Their partnership transforms them both as they train Mozgala's body to learn the skills of a dancer. Under Rogoff's patient, hands-on, often full-body attention, Mozgala is able to master his muscle control and minimize the outward signs of CP—there is a brief scene where Mozgala's movements appear more like seizures. The film has touching moments as he awkwardly shares first movements with dance partners or stands in his underwear as Rogoff clinically inspects him. (Mozgala at times uses four-letter words to express his frustration.) His interviews with random strangers on a New York City street as he seeks to find "his" walk adds levity. Mozgala's physical transformation is remarkable enough that he and Rogoff share their insights with doctors and members of the CP community.