Strike A Pose (2/15/2016)

	Madonna	Herself (archive footage)
	Carlton Wilborn	Himself
	Salim Gauwloos	Himself
	Jose Guitierez	Himself
	Gabriel Trupin	Himself
	Kevin Alexander Stea	Himself
	Louis Camacho	Himself
	Oliver Crumes	Himself
	Jose Xtravaganza	Himself
	Sue Trupin	Herself
	Andreas Pliatsikas	Himself
	Madonna	Herself
	Luis Camacho	Himself
	Sue Trupin	Herself / Gabriel Trupin's mother

Director/Choreographer

Ester Gould
Reijer Zwaan

Producer

Denis Wigman
Ellen De Waele
Rosan Boersma

Cinematography

Reinout Steenhuizen

Music

Bart Westerlaken

In 1990, seven young male dancers joined Madonna on her most controversial world tour. Their journey was captured in Truth or Dare. As a self-proclaimed 'mother' to her six gay dancers plus straight Oliver, Madonna used the film to make a stand on gay rights and freedom of expression. The dancers became paragons of pride, inspiring people all over the world to dare to be who you are. Twenty-five years later, the dancers share their own stories about life during and after the tour. What does it really take to express yourself?

Edition Details
No. of Discs/Tapes	1

Personal Details
Tags	heritage
Links	‡ Commentary: Independent (UK) Review ‡ Commentary: Out magazine "Out Exclusives" + Review: Variety ± Review: New York Times (Jan 17, 2017) ‡ Commentary: NY Times (April 13, 2016) ‡ Movie: Madonna's "Truth or Dare" Strike A Pose at Core for Movies TheMovieDb.org IMDB

References
Streaming, VoD	NetFlix
Festivals & Awards	Tribeca 2016

I frequently find it hard to connect with documentaries that use the "interview" and "archival film" technique· No matter how skillfully done (and this is a skillful film), the omnipresent camera interposes itself· I often sensed a "play to the camera" feel in these films not usually present with fiction films·
In Strike a Pose we are shown the surface facts of WHERE the dancers are twenty five years after their famous performances in Madonna's Blonde Ambition tour and the documentary Truth or Dare, but is weak on WHO they were and now are· I admit, there is an important line between privacy and voyeurism· Nevertheless, I wish we could have learned more· Perhaps, film is just not well suited to in-depth biography· I also must admit that I have not yet viewed Truth or Dare, which I suspect, based on what I have read, will provide additional insight·
It is also interesting to note how grindingly oppressive the stigma HIV+/AIDS was (and still is) even among those who are otherwise a close family and open about their sexuality· Their experiences are as I remember them to have been among my peers, and still are today·
This is a fine film, and included on my personal list of essential GLBTQ heritage films·
Premiered at the Berlin Festival on 15 February 2016· Featured at Tribeca Film Festival 2016· Available now on Netflix· Scheduled for DVD release June 6, 2017; $30.