THE BALTIMORE DANCE PROJECT
THE BALTIMORE DANCE PROJECT
MMXXV
MMXXV
16
Creative Direction (In-house)
PM: JENNE MEERMAN / WT
WRITER: ROB ALDERSON / WT PRODUCER: LUKAS NIEUWENHUISJEN
CD: JORDAN RITZ / ACADEMY + DIRECTOR: NICK WALKER / ACADEMY +
Creative Direction (In-house)
PM: JENNE MEERMAN / WT
WRITER: ROB ALDERSON / WT PRODUCER: LUKAS NIEUWENHUISJEN / WT
CD: JORDAN RITZ / ACADEMY + DIRECTOR: NICK WALKER / ACADEMY +
WeTransfer needed an editorial platform that could do more than just showcase creative work—it needed to make a meaningful statement during a pivotal cultural moment.
When launching WePresent, we looked beyond the expected. For our inaugural piece, we chose director Nick Walker's documentary capturing a powerful moment in Baltimore—one that resonated far beyond the dance floor.
Walker's film followed FKA twigs at Baltimore's Lithuanian Hall on July 18, 2016, just days after she rallied the community through social media. Her call was simple but profound: come together and celebrate artistic expression through dance.
The timing wasn't accidental. This gathering happened against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement gaining momentum after Alton Sterling was fatally shot on July 5, 2016, and Philando Castile killed the following day.
— “When I was thinking about doing a dance project, the obvious places would be LA or New York but I thought why not go to a place that obviously has so much soul and so much amazing energy? You’ll be able to connect with them rather than being another artist that is passing through.” — FKA twigs
By premiering this documentary, WePresent made its intentions clear from day one. This wasn't a platform for empty creativity—this was a space where art and urgent social reality could speak to each other.
The documentary collected bronze for Best Branded Editorial Experience, the public's choice award, and a Silver Clio in film. But the true achievement was establishing WePresent's voice—it became the foundation for WeTransfer's ongoing commitment to arts access, eventually spawning The Supporting Act Foundation which creates spaces for underrepresented artists.
This wasn't just another content launch—it was about building a platform where creative work could respond to real human experience. The awards were nice validation, but the community connection was the real point all along.
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© Orlando F. Ruiz is a Creative Director, living in beautiful and ☀︎ Barcelona 2025 All Rights Reserved.
THE
BALTIMORE
DANCE PROJECT
MMXXV
16
Creative Direction (In-house)
PM: JENNE MEERMAN / WT
WRITER: ROB ALDERSON / WT
PRODUCER: LUKAS NIEUWENHUISJEN
CD: JORDAN RITZ / ACADEMY + DIRECTOR: NICK WALKER / ACADEMY +
WeTransfer needed an editorial platform that could do more than just showcase creative work—it needed to make a meaningful statement during a pivotal cultural moment.
When launching WePresent, we looked beyond the expected. For our inaugural piece, we chose director Nick Walker's documentary capturing a powerful moment in Baltimore—one that resonated far beyond the dance floor.
Walker's film followed FKA twigs at Baltimore's Lithuanian Hall on July 18, 2016, just days after she rallied the community through social media. Her call was simple but profound: come together and celebrate artistic expression through dance.
The timing wasn't accidental. This gathering happened against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement gaining momentum after Alton Sterling was fatally shot on July 5, 2016, and Philando Castile killed the following day.
— “When I was thinking about doing a dance project, the obvious places would be LA or New York but I thought why not go to a place that obviously has so much soul and so much amazing energy? You’ll be able to connect with them rather than being another artist that is passing through.” — FKA twigs
By premiering this documentary, WePresent made its intentions clear from day one. This wasn't a platform for empty creativity—this was a space where art and urgent social reality could speak to each other.
The documentary collected bronze for Best Branded Editorial Experience, the public's choice award, and a Silver Clio in film. But the true achievement was establishing WePresent's voice—it became the foundation for WeTransfer's ongoing commitment to arts access, eventually spawning The Supporting Act Foundation which creates spaces for underrepresented artists.
This wasn't just another content launch—it was about building a platform where creative work could respond to real human experience. The awards were nice validation, but the community connection was the real point all along.