The 27-minute documentary follows Triche鈥檚 mother, Joyce Triche, and explores her 50-year career running a small-town dance studio and the challenges she faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Mother鈥檚 Day, PBS NC’s North Carolina Channel invites audiences to meet a beloved dance teacher whose impact reached far beyond the stage. 鈥淐urtsy,鈥 a heartfelt documentary by Nicole Triche, associate professor of cinema and television arts, will air on Sunday, May 11, at 9 p.m.
At the center of 鈥淐urtsy鈥 is Triche鈥檚 mother, Miss Joyce 鈥 a beloved dance instructor who spent more than five decades helping young performers find their rhythm in a small-town studio in King, North Carolina. But it is more than a film about ballet shoes and recital nights. It鈥檚 a story of resilience, creativity and a mother鈥檚 influence on generations of dancers.
鈥淲hen the world shut down during COVID, my mom kept dancing,鈥 Triche said. 鈥淪he adapted, improvised, and showed up 鈥 not just for her students, but for a whole community.鈥
Through archival footage, candid interviews, and tender family moments, 鈥淐urtsy鈥 captures a legacy built one pirouette at a time.
The documentary will be broadcast and livestreamed on the several times throughout May. The 27-minute documentary originally premiered at the 2023 RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem.