In Study in Choreography for Camera, Maya Deren realises her vision of liberating the human body from the confines of theatrical – and real – space. Dancer Talley Beatty moves effortlessly within and between different environments, achieved through the careful coordination of his precisely choreographed movements with the film's editing pattern. As Beatty jumps from room to room via Deren's film cuts, a new geographical reality emerges in which great distances can be covered in a matter of minutes. Deren's camera becomes Beatty's dance partner, so to speak.

In Ritual in Transfigured Time, dance is a ritual journey of metamorphosis, using cinematic techniques such as slow motion, still images and editing to depict the transition from social constraint to freedom. The film shows the protagonist, played by dancer Rita Christiani, moving from the rigid social world of a party to the expressive freedom of an outdoor ballet, culminating in the symbolic transformation of a widow into a bride.

Phil for Short is a delightful comedy about gender roles, love and dancing, which anticipates many of the later romantic screwball comedies of the 1930s. After disguising herself as her non-existent twin brother to escape an unwanted marriage, the spirited Damophilia (or ‘Phil’ for short) – a lover of Sappho and ancient Greek dance – meets a misogynistic Greek professor. Back in a dress, she becomes his assistant and playfully throws his professional and private life off balance.