My Top 10 Ballet Movies
You love ballet. You were born to dance. Ballet is your everything. It’s your passion; your obsession.
You’re also human and chances are you often have to balance various other priorities. Sometimes, your other priorities try to push ballet aside. Your other priorities compete for your time, your attention, your energy.
Sometimes, it would be easier if you skipped class (just this once) and if you’ve skipped class once, you might be tempted to…dare I say it… do it again?!?
Or, it could just be that you prefer to hibernate in winter. It’s freezing cold outside, it’s wet, windy, it’s dark and have I mentioned it’s soooooo cold. Inside, it’s warm and cosy. Ballet class starts in 90 minutes and you’re still on the sofa in your fluffy dressing gown and winter socks. Hey, it’s fine…we’ve all been there.
Even the most dedicated of artists sometimes lose their ballet mojo! Right? I mean…they must. Surely?!?
So, if you find you’re struggling with motivation, here’s a list of movies that is sure to fire you up again.
Centre Stage
The question is not whether you’ve seen Centre Stage! The question is how many times have you seen it?
Personally, I’ve lost count but I know I could do Jodie Sawyer’s solos with my eyes closed (if I had the technical ability to actually dance like that).
It has everything a good dance movie should: likeable characters, beautiful choreography, a behind-the-scenes feel, romance, passion, sacrifice, a tough but fair ballet mistress, the never-ending struggle with turnout, tutus, tulle, sparkles and lots and lots of point shoes of various colours!
Motivation level: 100,000,000 at least!
Source: imdb.com
Polina
This is the beautiful, haunting story of Polina’s journey from a harsh, bleak environment in Russia, where she’s being pushed to achieve her parents’ dream of joining The Bolshoi Ballet to a sudden change in direction, risking everything she has every worked for to follow her own dreams of dancing for herself and expressing what’s inside her.
The choreography is stunning (in particular the final dance scene), the storytelling is raw and real and Polina (Anastasia Shevtsova) is simply sublime. This movie gave me goose bumps!
Motivation level: 9/10
Source: imdb.com
First Position
You will love this documentary that follows six impressive young dancers and their families from around the world as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix.
It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the sacrifices made by not just the dancers themselves but their entire families in order for them to make it to the top.
Motivation level: 7/10
Source: imdb.com
Mao’s Last Dancer
This movie comes with two warnings: 1, parts of the film contain subtitles and 2, you are going to need tissues. A travel sized pack of 10 will not be sufficient, so grab a family sized box of Kleenex before you settle down on the sofa.
It’s a touching true story of a talented dancer’s quest for freedom to pursue his passion from a poor Chinese province to the intoxicating world of excess in America and the emotional and political consequences of his pursuit of freedom.
The movie is based on Li Cunxin’s autobiography of the same name. Li is currently the artistic director of the Queensland Ballet, which makes this movie even more fascinating to watch.
Source: imdb.com
The Company
This film is a slow burning story with a firm focus on dancing. All other stories are secondary. For this reason, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but dancers are sure to appreciate the choreography. It is an intimate portrayal of the life of a dancer and what life is like at a ballet company. It’s beautiful and graceful and gentle and you may find yourself pointing your toes and straightening your spine as you’re watching it.
Motivation level: 8/10
Source: imdb.com
Save the Last Dance
Ok, so strictly speaking this is not a ballet movie, per se. Rather, it’s a story that may ring true for those of us who have given up or were made to give up our ballet dreams due to a traumatic event in our past. The film follows a girl called Sara as she tries to adjust to life in a new city, with a new parent and new friends. She meets Derek, who inspires and supports her to rekindle her dream of getting into Julliard.
Motivation level: 7/10
Source: imdb.com
Step Up
If you like a dance movie that showcases various dance styles, Step Up is for you. Nora is a promising ballerina who needs to find a dance partner for her senior showcase. She decides to give the janitor, Tyler a chance. Sparks fly between them on and off stage as they rehearse their way through to the final performance.
If that’s not enough, here are three words that should convince you this movie is a must-see: Channing Tatum shirtless
Enough said.
Motivation level: 8/10
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Source: imdb.com
Black Swan
Definitely not a feel-good movie! It’s dark, it’s slightly confusing, it’s uncomfortable viewing at times. But it is also intoxicating with beautiful cinematography, exquisite costumes and exceptional performances to the familiar sounds of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.
Black Swan is a thrilling story of the rivalry between Odette and Odile in the mind of the beautiful but troubled Nina.
Still not convinced? The movie was nominated for 5 Oscars and 4 Golden Globes.
Motivation level: 8/10
Source: imdb.com
Ballet Shoes
This is a lovely, sweet story set in 1930s London. Three orphan girls are given the chance to discover their individual talents and follow their dreams.
It’s an all-ages movie full of charm that is a bit like a cross between a dance movie and a Disney fairy tale. It will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy.
Motivation level: 7/10
Source: imdb.com
Billy Elliot
Who would have thought a small mining town in North East England could be the setting for a dance movie? Billy Elliot is not your typical dance movie but its humour and unconventional characters – like the chain smoking ballet mistress who smokes in the studio (oh the horror!!) and the rough around the edges father with his politically incorrect opinions – all blend together to form dance movie magic! You will laugh, you will cry, you may even yell at your TV at times. By the end you will want to leap off the couch and spin around your living room.
Motivation level: 8/10
Source: imdb.com
BY EMY V – ELANCÉ AMBASSADOR