Passport Destination Explores DC Fitness Culture With Free Screening

After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University in 2010, Matthew Frazier was travelling to Berlin and was fascinated by the different things going on outside of the United States.

“I wanted to document my trip by talking to some of the creators and designers overseas,” he says. “A lot of us, no matter what country or city we are in, have a lot in common.”

Upon returning, he put on an exhibition at the Fringe, taking people to Berlin without them having to leave Washington, D.C.

“After the success of the first exhibition, I realized this could be a theme, and take people all over the world,” Frazier says.

So, the videographer created Passport Destination, a documentary series that promotes social inclusion, tolerance and camaraderie between cultures, revealing how culture and art come together in society.

On Oct. 18, a screening of three of Frazier’s Passport Destination episodes that focus on Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Copenhagen will be shown at the Kennedy Center’s REACH, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Each episode is 15 minutes.

The night is going to kick off with a DJ for the first hour, and there will also be a yoga demonstration. That will be followed by the first documentary on D.C.

For the D.C. portion, the documentary will highlight some of the area’s best fitness organizations, illustrating how the works of these individuals and organizations impact and influence the lives of people in the nation’s capital.

“We talk to District Running Collective, Capital Wellness and District Fray about how fitness has an impact on the city,” Frazier says. “A lot of times when you travel, you learn about the top places to go to; but fitness culture is also a major thing people want to know about.”

So, for someone who may want to run or stay up to date with their fitness when travelling, there are plenty of organizations that can help do that.

“I wanted to show people options—things to do and things to check out and recommendations for those not from here what to do while they are here,” Frazier says. “Fitness allows people to decompress, re-channel their frustrations and also build community. I think DC Fray does a great job of building community outside and they push fitness, while also pushing fun and building on community.”

This episode being shown is one of four that Frazier created for a four-part Passport Destination DC series, with another focused on design in the District. The fitness episode is connected to that one, Frazier explains, as he interviewed graphic designer Matthew Green who runs in the city.

“The architecture on the street and the monuments all have an effect, so while he runs, he’s able to experience all different forms of architecture,” he says. “Viewers will get a tour of the city while exercising and there’s a soundbite from Matt that illuminates the connection.”

From there, audience members will be treated to a documentary on Copenhagen, where they will learn about the city’s design, clothing and art scenes; then a third film on Tokyo, Japan will be shown, looking at architecture and an interactive art space called teamLab.

The documentarian will conclude the night with a Q&A and talk a bit more about his travels.

“I want to encourage people to travel but also delve deep into the culture that’s there and meet the people,” Frazier says. “I also want people to figure out how they can use their own talents to make an impact on the community as well.”

The premiere at The REACH on October 18 is free. For more information, visit passportdestinationpremierevie.splashthat.com.

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Keith Loria

A theatre buff and huge music fan, Keith Loria is a D.C.-based award-winning journalist who has been writing about the arts for more than 20 years. He started his career with the Associated Press and has written for Soap Opera Digest, Playbill and Music Review. He looks forward to 2021 and the theaters reopening! He’s the proud father of two daughters, who often accompany him on his theater outings. Visit his website at keithloria.contently.com.