Written by sisters. Led by women. The Four Dance at Night is born out of the desire to see young bewitching black women on our screens. Behind this film is an amazing and dedicated team of visionaries all excited to bring the four Marchand sisters to life. Come and see.

There are the Bennet sisters, the March sisters, and the Lisbon girls. Although from different generations, and with stories varying from the romantic, the pragmatic, and even outright miserable-- they all embody sisterhood so poignantly. The Four Dance at Night -- an unabashed tribute to girlhood -- is a tale inspired by these stories, but with faces we may not have seen before.

Our film explores young sisters belonging to the American Black Elite, a segment of culture following the American Reconstruction that created a distinct class system within the black community. This class system was not dictated by skin tone as most would assume, but largely by family history and education. And while this part of American History is often glanced over, in the effort to tell more stories about people of color by people of color, we would like for you to step into the slippers of these sisters for one night.

Walking in the footsteps of Julie Dash's Daughter's of the Dust and Kasi Lemmon's Eve's Bayou, this film tells the tale of black girls, celebrating the revelry, innocence, and even rivalry between sisters. 

 

Set in 1949, over one night in a parochial black community in New York, the four Marchand sisters have created an outlet. They've secured a means for their carefree adolescence to take center stage-- by way of sneaking out of their home to engage in a moonlit dance in the woods. 

It is a welcome escape from the stifling restraints of their Black elite status and the docile facade that they're expected to wear during the day -- but in this innocent ritual may be born something that is altogether corrupt.  The Four Dance at Night is a story about sisterhood and the choice to express one's freedom, and truest nature. It’s about the unbounded thrill of taking part in something forbidden. 

In this story one will see four sisters emboldened by the magic of their minds, the chaos in their brief moments of stolen freedom, and their belief that if they only will it, anything is possible. 

 

The team behind this film are highly talented, invested, and resourceful. We come from diverse backgrounds and are proud to display that we're mostly female led. To learn more about the team, check out our "Team" tab.

A note from the director, T.S. Evering:

From a young age, my mother encouraged my sister and co-writer, K.S. Evering, and myself to be lovers of literature. She introduced us to the classics and fairy tales which was where my love for period pieces first took form-- mostly because their costumes are so incredibly layered and considered. I grew up on Masterpiece Theater and Turner Classic Movies, befriending the March and Bennet sisters both. There was such an elegance to these BBC dramas and Old Hollywood films that I wanted to emulate in real life. After a while, I realized that I yearned to see women of color--women that looked like me in these films. But, I was also painfully aware that when casting a black woman in a historical drama, it was most likely for the role of slave, maid, and/or "magical negro". How to remedy this? Write a script about black sisters in the 1940s dealing with the complexities of girlhood, of course!

***

To bring this bewitching night in the lives of the four Marchand sisters to the screen, the budget has been carefully considered. Your contribution will go towards:

Location

Equipment (including sound)

Hiring the film crew

Costumes

Set Production

Transporation

Meals

Post-production

Film Festival Fees

 

The journey of this film does not end with the final cut, we will be entering The Four Dance at Night into film festivals to widen our audience. Representation in the film industry is vital and helps to break down stereotypes and barriers. Art helps to set the tone of our culture, and you can be a part of the effort to tell a universal coming of age story through the lens of four black girls.

For more information, you can also check out our "Wishlist" tab to see if you can loan or donate any of the items needed to make this film possible. 

 

It is our utmost duty to ensure that all cast and crew feel safe and well taken care of while on set. Covid safety increases budgets by 10-30 percent, but we will not be looking for shortcuts to spare the change. Instead, we are taking all the proper protocol. Part of our budget will go towards hiring a COVID-19 Compliance Officer to oversee and enforce all safety measures. We will be providing personal protective equipment (PPE), temperature checks and screening surveys. We also will be mandating that any person on set be tested within a 72 hour window of filming. 

 

Our team is so thankful that you've visited our page today and took the time to read about our project. We look forward to filming The Four Dance at Night and making this film with you. 

Please follow us on

Instagram @fourdanceatnight 

Facebook @thefourdanceatnight

Twitter @thefourdance

And spread the word. The only way we can make our crowdfunding goal, is by reaching beyond our network. Don't know what to say? That's alright, we've written something for you below. We welcome you to copy, paste, and share!

 

It's the spooky season and filmmaker @t.s.evering has a film about four, black, bewitching sisters engaging in an innocent moonlit ritual gone awry. Excited yet? Join them on @fourdanceatnight and @seedandspark: shorturl.at/klzKV. Come and see.

Join filmmaker @t.s.evering and her female led team by supporting her unabashed tribute to girlhood and black girl magic through her film The Four Dance at Night. Follow them on @seedandspark: shorturl.at/klzKV. Come and see.

 

Thank You!