"Move first, talk later" sums up choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall's approach to the musical biopic "The Testament of Ann Lee."
Working closely with writer-director Mona Fastvold and composer Daniel Blumberg, Rowlson-Hall helped center the story of the Shakers founder in movement.
"I have choreographed many-a-film in my career, and the way that Mona really wanted to have dance in the forefront of the storytelling of the was such an incredible experience," Rowlson-Hall says.
"The Testament of Ann Lee" is the culmination of Rowlson-Hall's almost two-decade friendship with Fastvold, and their own origin story is one for the books.
"We met each other on the set of 'Gossip Girl,' where we were playing models storming some fancy party," Rowlson-Hall recalls. The gig kicked off a creative dialogue and longtime collaboration. Rowlson-Hall worked as a choreographer on the 2018 film "Vox Lux," which was written and directed by Fastvold's husband and creative partner, Golden Globe winner Brady Corbet.
"This was very much a family affair," Rowlson-Hall adds. "When Mona brought 'Ann Lee' to me, it was such an exciting time, because we've always wanted to work together, but never had that opportunity on this scale."
Movement is at the heart of the Shakers, a devotional sect founded around 1747 and named for their worship through ecstatic movement and song. "To be able to think about dance as prayer was such a special thing for me," says Rowlson-Hall, and she worked closely in tandem with the film's composer, who took inspiration from the movement that resulted from his scores, highlighting the actors' breath and percussive use of their bodies.
Leading the movement onscreen is Amanda Seyfried, who stars as the titular founder.
"Behind every movement, I had a real meaning as to why Amanda was doing that, or a visual that she could imagine," says the choreographer, praising Seyfried's sharpness of movement and use of her hands.
"What was very important is that it looked like this movement was coming from her. She created this religion, and so this movement should also look like it comes from her and feels natural to her. So I wanted to make sure that every movement that you were seeing that others did, felt like it could have stemmed from her."
Early in the film Seyfried sings one of her first solos, "Beautiful Treasures," in a montage scene that shows Ann meeting and falling in love with husband Abraham (played by Christopher Abbott), and their failed attempts at starting a family. The scene straddles high and low emotions -- none of their four children lived past infancy, trauma that shaped the trajectory of the Shakers.
"Where does that grief and that sadness live in the body? And can you even get your body off the floor after all of that? I got to ask all of these questions inside of the movement, that then further elevated and expanded the story," Rowlson-Hall says of the pivotal scene. "I always want the narrative to continue to drive through all of the movement."
Rowlson-Hall credits distributor Searchlight's rollout of the film, which has kept the behind-the-camera collaborators in the spotlight. Special screenings have featured live music and dance performances, along with Q&As with key creatives.
"Sometimes dance and choreography is a bit underrepresented inside of film. Just a couple weeks ago on IMDb, we finally got our own slug line. I used to be 'additional crew' for, like, 15 years," Rowlson-Hall says.
She's continuing to add more credits to her IMDb profile. Shortly before the film's Dec. 25 release, she released a music video that she directed and choreographed starring Lucas Hedges, for the musician Cameron Winter. Rowlson-Hall also worked as a choreographer for "The Drama," starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, out this spring, and is preparing to direct her next feature film in the summer.
"That's the big love that's going to take all of my 2026 and 2027," she adds.