Jenn Freeman and Alexander Hammer Detail Five Year Journey Of Netflix Documentary ‘Room To Move’

Choreographer/dancer/educator Jenn Freeman’s life is spotlighted in the new Netflix documentary Room To Move. Directed and edited by her close friend Alexander Hammer, the film focuses on how Freeman’s life was profoundly affected after being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Instead of shrinking from life, Freeman pushed forward with her artistry and even mounted the ambitious production Is It Thursday Yet?. Hammer, whose life becomes synchronistically intertwined with Freeman during the making of the documentary, is also prominently featured in Room To Move. It’s a refreshingly even-eyed, visually immerstive, and insightful documentary that resonates. Check out my full interview with Freeman and Hammer below!

Shooting on Room To Move started in 2021 when Jenn Freeman was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder. The documentary also focuses on Freeman’s uncompromising approach to her passion for dance and teaching (and learning) from her students. In the midst of her own trials, Freeman did not proceed from a self-centered place.

“ Growing up, I knew that my path was different than my peers and that my interests were different,” said Freeman. “There were those few educators that I had, teachers that really saw me. Those are the people that encouraged me and kept me moving forward. It just meant so much to me, and I think it instilled the desire to do that for other young people because I could see myself in my students and in other artists. I’m inclined to have the nature to encourage other people to follow their dreams or their truth in whatever that looks like. I think it’s just probably from a place of appreciating people who did that for me.”

A big part of the documentary is Freeman’s husband Ian Stuart (parts of Room To Move are from his video footage). This close collaboration among the three gives Room To Move an intimate feels sans artifice. “It’s a testament to Jen and my relation and also with Ian – we just go so close in such a personal way,” said Alexander Hammer, whose own health and mental journey is spotlighted in Room To Move. “We just also happened to be making this movie together. So bringing myself into it was a lot of encouragement from a lot of different people saying that it would be a bonus or a plus to the story. I hope they’re right – we’ll find out soon!

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Catch Room To Move, now streaming on Netflix. Share your thoughts on the documentary in the comments!