To the Floor
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama
Inspired by “Black Swan," “I, Tonya,” and “Strictly Ballroom,” this short film follows a ballroom dancer as she navigates social isolation on the day of the year’s biggest competition. This woman-led project examines what it means to seek greatness when your best friend becomes your biggest rival.
To the Floor
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $11,815 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
52 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Inspired by “Black Swan," “I, Tonya,” and “Strictly Ballroom,” this short film follows a ballroom dancer as she navigates social isolation on the day of the year’s biggest competition. This woman-led project examines what it means to seek greatness when your best friend becomes your biggest rival.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
What would you give up to be the best?
The Story
On the morning of the final competition, Naomi, a college senior with ambitions to become a professional dancer, prepares for her final shot at the highest title. She'll be dancing against her former-friend-turned-rival, Mara. In the bathroom where her teammates put the final touches on their competition looks, Naomi enters to find that she is no longer welcome in the group that once embraced her. The awkwardness turns to outright hostility when Mara enters.
The rivalry, the glamour, and the mental toil climb as years of spite rise to the surface, and the question of who will be the better dancer falls beneath the wheels of the greater curiosity: who's the real victim?
The World
Ballroom dance is a competitive, tight-knit community known for its captivating performances. Classic styles like waltz, foxtrot, cha cha, and rumba—often featured in television shows like Dancing with the Stars—mesmerize audiences from the dance floor to the screen. But the competitive stakes of ballroom can reflect more than the fight for a trophy. It emphasizes hierarchy and power for young women, and the communal bathroom in a competition venue quickly becomes a site of confrontation.
Why this team
To the Floor depicts the reality of young women in competitive fields, where the pressure to excel leaves them pitted against each other. As a female-led creative team, this is a dynamic that many of us have personally experienced. We've found that this story resonates with a large audience, and we want to tell it with empathy and authenticity.
The Inspiration
.png)
.jpg)
I, Tonya (2017) • Black Swan (2010) • The Last Showgirl (2024) • Best In Show (2000) • Strictly Ballroom (1992) • Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)
Like Black Swan and I, Tonya, our film explores female relationships in competitive spaces and the psychological ruptures competition can cause. There is also a strong influence from Strictly Ballroom, which fully embodies the campy, exaggerated nature of ballroom dance as a sport, as well as the ensemble based dry comedy Best in Show, which adds a level of irreverent humor and grounded reality to what is inherently an ungrounded, cult-like world.
How you can help
Whether you’re sharing our page on social media, donating to the campaign, or talking up your excitement for To the Floor at your local coffee shop, we are grateful for any support you can offer!
Financial Contributions
Our funding goal is $10,000, which will support our amazing cast and crew, sustain post-production, and help us work towards the upcoming feature film. With professional equipment, an original score, and costumes that were hand-rhinestoned by the team in our writer’s mother’s living room, To the Floor is an example of what can be done with heart and hard work.
Every dollar counts–check out the "Incentives" and "Wishlist" on this campaign to learn more about the difference your donations can make!
Help us spread the word
Follow us on Instagram (@tothefloor.film) and tell your friends!
Share our posts and campaign page
Join our mailing list to stay up to date with progress (tothefloorfilm.com/)
Sponsor the film! We are looking to pair with brands and companies from the ballroom community for financial support as well as marketing opportunities.
Email us privately if you can help in a special way ([email protected])
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Feed our Cast and Crew
Costs $500
Days on set are long! Help fuel the film with protein, snacks, and coffee.
Camera and Gear
Costs $1,000
We are camera nerds, and it's important to us to get the right gear for the story.
Pay Our Cast and Crew
Costs $3,350
We got the best team of up-and-coming filmmakers and actors, and believe in compensating them fairly.
Costumes, Makeup, and Props
Costs $1,000
You know what makes a film about ballroom? Glitzy rhinestoned dresses.
Location and Transportation
Costs $1,650
We shot at the most authentically New York Ballroom space: The 14th St Y! (And they let us interrupt Zumba classes.)
Post Production
Costs $2,500
Editing, sound design, and color can make a good film great and we want to pay the most talented people we know for their contributions.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
The Team
.jpg)
Sam Besca (Director/Producer) is an actor, director, and visual artist based in New York City currently repped across divisions by Take3Talent. Through her multidisciplinary training that includes photography, film, acting, and political science at some of the most prestigious colleges in the world - including NYU Tisch and Hamilton where she graduated summa cum laude, phi beta kappa, and pi sigma alpha - Sam aims to holistically approach art as a process-oriented experience as much as a product based act.
Electra Carzis (Writer/Producer) is a New York-born-and-raised writer, producer, and performer. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College, where she majored in English and minored in Astronomy (for fun). She attended the Atlantic Acting Conservatory, where she began her professional career in writing and producing. She has written and produced four original plays in the span of 18 months, some playing in New York theaters such as Theater for a New City, The Tank, and The Mark O’Donnell, while others toured across indie theaters in New Zealand. With a unique writing style that she lovingly refers to as “hooker with a heart of gold,” Electra’s pieces are comedies first, think pieces second, and therapy session fodder third. She believes that it is not only possible but necessary to create art that highlights the heartbreak of the human condition while also being fun to watch.
Ana Sophia Acosta (Producer) is a multimedia producer with a diverse background in film, video, photography, and social media content development. Recently, she served as the Partnerships & Advertising Associate at the 62nd New York Film Festival, where she supported sponsorship packages for brands such as Criterion, HBO, and Rolex. Ana Sophia has also contributed to the video and social media teams at organizations including Converted Closet, Playbill, and The Today Show, and her personal TikTok and Spotify content has been shared by the likes of The New York Times, Us Weekly, and WatchMojo. With her unique creative vision and strong organizational ethos, Ana Sophia is thrilled to bring her energy and expertise to the team.
2.jpg)
Spencer Sabath (Director of Photography) is a filmmaker and musician based in New York City and Chicago, currently in his first year at NYU Tisch School of the Arts studying Film and Television Production. He has been building a catalog of artistic projects since childhood and has been featured since at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, the All-American High School Film Festival, and most recently at NYU’s Winterfest showcase. As writer, director, cinematographer, or composer, he sees film as the perfect medium for exploring innovative aesthetics, cultural commentary, and human empathy.
Neriman Beste Kaygısız (Executive Producer) holds a BA in Quantitative Economics and Econometrics from Wellesley College and a two-year junior conservatory degree in acting from Türkiye. Before arriving on this side of the Atlantic, the current economic consultant also spent formative years in India, where she worked as a production lead. She is excited to be joining the team and working her creative and quantitative guns together.
Nate Milchan (Executive Producer) is a producer and filmmaker from Los Angeles. Currently studying film at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Nate seeks to tell thought-provoking stories that bring people together.
The Cast
.jpg)
Lena Pepe (Naomi) is a New York City based actress who has worked Off-Broadway and regionally. She can be seen in the upcoming Peacock series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy along with the film The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo. Theater credits: Cornelia Street (Atlantic Theater Company), subUrbia (BrooklynOne Theater), Dress of Fire (AEA Workshop, dir. Knud Adams), The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley (Shadowland Stages), Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley (Shadowland Stages), Purgatorio (Edinburgh Fringe Festival).
Ella Taylor Bliss (Mara) is an actress originally from East London, now based in NYC. She began her career at the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames and trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Recently, Ella originated the role of Polly in the Isle Theater Company's world premiere of Then We'll Rest. Her recent screen credits include, Lola in Lola (Lemondedenins) Tina in In the Best Interest of the Children (Illuminaria Productions). Ella is passionate about traveling and immersing herself in new experiences. She aims to take on strong female leads and unforgettable characters. She believes that depth in performance comes from embracing life's unpredictable chaos, which fuels her craft.
Kealani Petito (Christina) is an actor, director, chef, and performing artist who engages with the current zeitgeist. Born in Kauai, Hawaii & coming from Italian-Catalonian roots, her early years were spent moving all over the U.S. with her mom, a lifelong educator & ESL instructor. She is currently living in East Harlem, New York. Her recent credits include the Atlantic Acting School’s 2024 Alumni Industry Showcase, and NYU MFA Film, Polaroid, directed by Eric Zhang, entering the festival circuit later this year. She has devised, cast, and created innovative theater with The Fool Volk Collective (previously in residence at La Mama) and Parent Theatre Company. Kealani attended the British American Drama Academy Midsummer In Oxford ‘23 program (run in association with the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University) and is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is an avid learner of all things spiritual & philosophical. She loves anything related to astrology, the planets, & the stars. She also loves punching & kick-boxing & playing the baritone ukulele. She often consults her cards, The Mushroom Oracle Deck, for guidance on life’s biggest mysteries!
Maaike Laanstra-Corn (Sarah) is a New York City-based actor. Off Broadway: Grief Camp (Atlantic Theater). Other theater credits include: Homofermenters (ARS NOVA ANTfest) When The Other Mary Celeste Sank (WP Theater), Joan of Arc in a Supermarket in California (The Tank), Button Lake Band Camp (Clubbed Thumb Winterworks), and Ms. Lily (Clubbed Thumb Winterworks). BA: Brown University.
Baylee Berkley (Amy) is an actress based in NYC, originally from Long Island. She currently studies at Atlantic Theater Company’s Full Time Conservatory. Prior to Atlantic, she studied Drama at The New School and played the lead (Grace) in While We Wait directed by Jordana De La Cruz (2023). She is a lover of nature, traveling, yummy food, midcentury modern houses, and also an avid paper crane maker.
Flannery Bogost (Madison) is an NYC-based actress/filmmaker, originally from Atlanta. She received her BA in Film & Media from Georgia State University. She has performed in productions at the Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre and several short films. Flannery grew up in the dance world and is ecstatic to be a part of To The Floor!
Samantha Lane (Kate) is thrilled to be a part of this beautiful project. She is currently pursuing a degree in Musical Theatre at The Norwalk Conservatory. Credits include: Francine in Jersey Boys (City Springs Theatre Company), Wendla in Spring Awakening (The Norwalk Conservatory), Cady Heron in Mean Girls Jr. (JTF New Works Showcase). Seen recently in solo concert of her album Songbird at 54 Below.
The Crew
Theo Bentley Assistant Director
Vadim Gorbaty Gaffer
Mame Toure Sound
Casey Rodriguez Makeup Artist
Victoria Leigh Costume Coordinator
Jamie Granato Key Grip
David Dean Tostes-Ribeiro McLaughlin Grip
Drew Waller 1st AC
Coco Bigles 2nd AC
Joyce Salame Script Supervisor
Mia Humberd-Hilf Ballroom Consultant
Isabel Gonzales Music Licensing
Mimi Tran Set Production Assistant
Background Performers
Arlene Kohler
Carlos Cardozo
Cat Serrano
Eddy Rameau Jr.
Jessica Zarzara
Lucy Geldziler
Maxime Prissert
Mia Humberd - Hilf
Nina Smith
Olivia Lord
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
What would you give up to be the best?
The Story
On the morning of the final competition, Naomi, a college senior with ambitions to become a professional dancer, prepares for her final shot at the highest title. She'll be dancing against her former-friend-turned-rival, Mara. In the bathroom where her teammates put the final touches on their competition looks, Naomi enters to find that she is no longer welcome in the group that once embraced her. The awkwardness turns to outright hostility when Mara enters.
The rivalry, the glamour, and the mental toil climb as years of spite rise to the surface, and the question of who will be the better dancer falls beneath the wheels of the greater curiosity: who's the real victim?
The World
Ballroom dance is a competitive, tight-knit community known for its captivating performances. Classic styles like waltz, foxtrot, cha cha, and rumba—often featured in television shows like Dancing with the Stars—mesmerize audiences from the dance floor to the screen. But the competitive stakes of ballroom can reflect more than the fight for a trophy. It emphasizes hierarchy and power for young women, and the communal bathroom in a competition venue quickly becomes a site of confrontation.
Why this team
To the Floor depicts the reality of young women in competitive fields, where the pressure to excel leaves them pitted against each other. As a female-led creative team, this is a dynamic that many of us have personally experienced. We've found that this story resonates with a large audience, and we want to tell it with empathy and authenticity.
The Inspiration
I, Tonya (2017) • Black Swan (2010) • The Last Showgirl (2024) • Best In Show (2000) • Strictly Ballroom (1992) • Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)
Like Black Swan and I, Tonya, our film explores female relationships in competitive spaces and the psychological ruptures competition can cause. There is also a strong influence from Strictly Ballroom, which fully embodies the campy, exaggerated nature of ballroom dance as a sport, as well as the ensemble based dry comedy Best in Show, which adds a level of irreverent humor and grounded reality to what is inherently an ungrounded, cult-like world.
How you can help
Whether you’re sharing our page on social media, donating to the campaign, or talking up your excitement for To the Floor at your local coffee shop, we are grateful for any support you can offer!
Financial Contributions
Our funding goal is $10,000, which will support our amazing cast and crew, sustain post-production, and help us work towards the upcoming feature film. With professional equipment, an original score, and costumes that were hand-rhinestoned by the team in our writer’s mother’s living room, To the Floor is an example of what can be done with heart and hard work.
Every dollar counts–check out the "Incentives" and "Wishlist" on this campaign to learn more about the difference your donations can make!
Help us spread the word
Follow us on Instagram (@tothefloor.film) and tell your friends!
Share our posts and campaign page
Join our mailing list to stay up to date with progress (tothefloorfilm.com/)
Sponsor the film! We are looking to pair with brands and companies from the ballroom community for financial support as well as marketing opportunities.
Email us privately if you can help in a special way ([email protected])
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Feed our Cast and Crew
Costs $500
Days on set are long! Help fuel the film with protein, snacks, and coffee.
Camera and Gear
Costs $1,000
We are camera nerds, and it's important to us to get the right gear for the story.
Pay Our Cast and Crew
Costs $3,350
We got the best team of up-and-coming filmmakers and actors, and believe in compensating them fairly.
Costumes, Makeup, and Props
Costs $1,000
You know what makes a film about ballroom? Glitzy rhinestoned dresses.
Location and Transportation
Costs $1,650
We shot at the most authentically New York Ballroom space: The 14th St Y! (And they let us interrupt Zumba classes.)
Post Production
Costs $2,500
Editing, sound design, and color can make a good film great and we want to pay the most talented people we know for their contributions.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
The Team
Sam Besca (Director/Producer) is an actor, director, and visual artist based in New York City currently repped across divisions by Take3Talent. Through her multidisciplinary training that includes photography, film, acting, and political science at some of the most prestigious colleges in the world - including NYU Tisch and Hamilton where she graduated summa cum laude, phi beta kappa, and pi sigma alpha - Sam aims to holistically approach art as a process-oriented experience as much as a product based act.
Electra Carzis (Writer/Producer) is a New York-born-and-raised writer, producer, and performer. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College, where she majored in English and minored in Astronomy (for fun). She attended the Atlantic Acting Conservatory, where she began her professional career in writing and producing. She has written and produced four original plays in the span of 18 months, some playing in New York theaters such as Theater for a New City, The Tank, and The Mark O’Donnell, while others toured across indie theaters in New Zealand. With a unique writing style that she lovingly refers to as “hooker with a heart of gold,” Electra’s pieces are comedies first, think pieces second, and therapy session fodder third. She believes that it is not only possible but necessary to create art that highlights the heartbreak of the human condition while also being fun to watch.
Ana Sophia Acosta (Producer) is a multimedia producer with a diverse background in film, video, photography, and social media content development. Recently, she served as the Partnerships & Advertising Associate at the 62nd New York Film Festival, where she supported sponsorship packages for brands such as Criterion, HBO, and Rolex. Ana Sophia has also contributed to the video and social media teams at organizations including Converted Closet, Playbill, and The Today Show, and her personal TikTok and Spotify content has been shared by the likes of The New York Times, Us Weekly, and WatchMojo. With her unique creative vision and strong organizational ethos, Ana Sophia is thrilled to bring her energy and expertise to the team.
Spencer Sabath (Director of Photography) is a filmmaker and musician based in New York City and Chicago, currently in his first year at NYU Tisch School of the Arts studying Film and Television Production. He has been building a catalog of artistic projects since childhood and has been featured since at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, the All-American High School Film Festival, and most recently at NYU’s Winterfest showcase. As writer, director, cinematographer, or composer, he sees film as the perfect medium for exploring innovative aesthetics, cultural commentary, and human empathy.
Neriman Beste Kaygısız (Executive Producer) holds a BA in Quantitative Economics and Econometrics from Wellesley College and a two-year junior conservatory degree in acting from Türkiye. Before arriving on this side of the Atlantic, the current economic consultant also spent formative years in India, where she worked as a production lead. She is excited to be joining the team and working her creative and quantitative guns together.
Nate Milchan (Executive Producer) is a producer and filmmaker from Los Angeles. Currently studying film at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Nate seeks to tell thought-provoking stories that bring people together.
The Cast
Lena Pepe (Naomi) is a New York City based actress who has worked Off-Broadway and regionally. She can be seen in the upcoming Peacock series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy along with the film The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo. Theater credits: Cornelia Street (Atlantic Theater Company), subUrbia (BrooklynOne Theater), Dress of Fire (AEA Workshop, dir. Knud Adams), The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley (Shadowland Stages), Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley (Shadowland Stages), Purgatorio (Edinburgh Fringe Festival).
Ella Taylor Bliss (Mara) is an actress originally from East London, now based in NYC. She began her career at the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames and trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Recently, Ella originated the role of Polly in the Isle Theater Company's world premiere of Then We'll Rest. Her recent screen credits include, Lola in Lola (Lemondedenins) Tina in In the Best Interest of the Children (Illuminaria Productions). Ella is passionate about traveling and immersing herself in new experiences. She aims to take on strong female leads and unforgettable characters. She believes that depth in performance comes from embracing life's unpredictable chaos, which fuels her craft.
Kealani Petito (Christina) is an actor, director, chef, and performing artist who engages with the current zeitgeist. Born in Kauai, Hawaii & coming from Italian-Catalonian roots, her early years were spent moving all over the U.S. with her mom, a lifelong educator & ESL instructor. She is currently living in East Harlem, New York. Her recent credits include the Atlantic Acting School’s 2024 Alumni Industry Showcase, and NYU MFA Film, Polaroid, directed by Eric Zhang, entering the festival circuit later this year. She has devised, cast, and created innovative theater with The Fool Volk Collective (previously in residence at La Mama) and Parent Theatre Company. Kealani attended the British American Drama Academy Midsummer In Oxford ‘23 program (run in association with the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University) and is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is an avid learner of all things spiritual & philosophical. She loves anything related to astrology, the planets, & the stars. She also loves punching & kick-boxing & playing the baritone ukulele. She often consults her cards, The Mushroom Oracle Deck, for guidance on life’s biggest mysteries!
Maaike Laanstra-Corn (Sarah) is a New York City-based actor. Off Broadway: Grief Camp (Atlantic Theater). Other theater credits include: Homofermenters (ARS NOVA ANTfest) When The Other Mary Celeste Sank (WP Theater), Joan of Arc in a Supermarket in California (The Tank), Button Lake Band Camp (Clubbed Thumb Winterworks), and Ms. Lily (Clubbed Thumb Winterworks). BA: Brown University.
Baylee Berkley (Amy) is an actress based in NYC, originally from Long Island. She currently studies at Atlantic Theater Company’s Full Time Conservatory. Prior to Atlantic, she studied Drama at The New School and played the lead (Grace) in While We Wait directed by Jordana De La Cruz (2023). She is a lover of nature, traveling, yummy food, midcentury modern houses, and also an avid paper crane maker.
Flannery Bogost (Madison) is an NYC-based actress/filmmaker, originally from Atlanta. She received her BA in Film & Media from Georgia State University. She has performed in productions at the Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre and several short films. Flannery grew up in the dance world and is ecstatic to be a part of To The Floor!
Samantha Lane (Kate) is thrilled to be a part of this beautiful project. She is currently pursuing a degree in Musical Theatre at The Norwalk Conservatory. Credits include: Francine in Jersey Boys (City Springs Theatre Company), Wendla in Spring Awakening (The Norwalk Conservatory), Cady Heron in Mean Girls Jr. (JTF New Works Showcase). Seen recently in solo concert of her album Songbird at 54 Below.
The Crew
Theo Bentley Assistant Director
Vadim Gorbaty Gaffer
Mame Toure Sound
Casey Rodriguez Makeup Artist
Victoria Leigh Costume Coordinator
Jamie Granato Key Grip
David Dean Tostes-Ribeiro McLaughlin Grip
Drew Waller 1st AC
Coco Bigles 2nd AC
Joyce Salame Script Supervisor
Mia Humberd-Hilf Ballroom Consultant
Isabel Gonzales Music Licensing
Mimi Tran Set Production Assistant
Background Performers
Arlene Kohler
Carlos Cardozo
Cat Serrano
Eddy Rameau Jr.
Jessica Zarzara
Lucy Geldziler
Maxime Prissert
Mia Humberd - Hilf
Nina Smith
Olivia Lord