My first exposure to formal dance was in 1968, at Purdue University, in a "stage movement" class while I was a graduate student. A trained dancer is a true athlete, and watching expert male and female dancers never gets old for me. That is why I rate this film, "Center Stage", "8" of 10. The story, well-told many times before, would get it only a "5" or "6", but the dancing for me elevates it to an "8".
The three young dancers, around which much of the story revolves, are Jody (Amanda Schull), Charlie (Sascha Radetsky), and Cooper (Ethan Stiefel). All three are ballet dancers with dance companies, so are dancers first, but also credible actors. In fact, Stiefel is generally considered to be the best male ballet dancer in the world at this time. All the "extras" are also dancers, mainly students in the NYC area, where this was filmed. The director, Hytner, is a very experienced stage director, and it shows in the finished product.
CAUTION -- MAY CONTAIN A SPOILER --
Jody is 18, her parents want her to go to college and dance there, but she is accepted at the fictitious ABA (American Ballet Academy) in NYC, and is determined to follow her dream of a career as a ballet dancer. There, she finds her positions are not ideal, her "feet" are not the best, but she is determined. She is attracted to the star dancer, Cooper, who seduces her then snubs her. However, he recognizes her talent, and features her in a special number he is allowed to choreograph for the year-ending show where talent scouts offer jobs to the best.
Along the way Charlie becomes her friend. He encourages her when she becomes despondent. At the end, she realizes she doesn't want the traditional ballet career, does not give them the opportunity to accept or reject her, instead accepts an offer to dance with Cooper's newly-formed dance company, formed after he befriended a rich widow who ends up sponsoring his venture. There Jody will dance a much wider variety that suits her talents. Cooper tries to kiss her, but she resists and demonstrates her newly-found maturity saying, "Cooper, you're a great choreographer but a lousy boyfriend", and goes over to ask Charlie out for a date. Charlie, the best male student, is offered a position with the American Ballet Company (ABC).
There are several supporting stories. The dark Hispanic girl who is a fabulous dancer, but with a chip on her shoulder and a loud mouth, and eventually gets a position with ABC. The beautiful, slender dancer who is the best, but is being pushed by her mother, is bullimic, meets a med student, and at the very end drops out because she never wanted to be a ballet dancer and was only pleasing her pushy mother. The dancer who had no self-control with food and eventually is dropped because she gets too heavy. The ABA director (Peter Gallagher) who had won the hand of the female star of the company, winning her from Cooper.
All through the movie there is lots of dancing, mostly representing rehearsals, which in themselves are very interesting and realistic. Near the end, there are several stage performances in full costume and are very nicely done. I bought the DVD so will be viewing this one again every few months.
The DVD is DD 5.1 sound, but during most of the film there is very little in the rear or the subwoofer channels. However, during the "live" performances in the theater, the rear and sub channels are used well for the music and the crowd effects. The "extras" are interesting but limited. The actor profiles don't even include Schull and Radetsky. There are two brief deleted scenes, plus the theatrical trailer. I replayed some key scenes with the "director commentary" turned on, and that was very helpful in understanding how the story was put together and filmed.
The three young dancers, around which much of the story revolves, are Jody (Amanda Schull), Charlie (Sascha Radetsky), and Cooper (Ethan Stiefel). All three are ballet dancers with dance companies, so are dancers first, but also credible actors. In fact, Stiefel is generally considered to be the best male ballet dancer in the world at this time. All the "extras" are also dancers, mainly students in the NYC area, where this was filmed. The director, Hytner, is a very experienced stage director, and it shows in the finished product.
CAUTION -- MAY CONTAIN A SPOILER --
Jody is 18, her parents want her to go to college and dance there, but she is accepted at the fictitious ABA (American Ballet Academy) in NYC, and is determined to follow her dream of a career as a ballet dancer. There, she finds her positions are not ideal, her "feet" are not the best, but she is determined. She is attracted to the star dancer, Cooper, who seduces her then snubs her. However, he recognizes her talent, and features her in a special number he is allowed to choreograph for the year-ending show where talent scouts offer jobs to the best.
Along the way Charlie becomes her friend. He encourages her when she becomes despondent. At the end, she realizes she doesn't want the traditional ballet career, does not give them the opportunity to accept or reject her, instead accepts an offer to dance with Cooper's newly-formed dance company, formed after he befriended a rich widow who ends up sponsoring his venture. There Jody will dance a much wider variety that suits her talents. Cooper tries to kiss her, but she resists and demonstrates her newly-found maturity saying, "Cooper, you're a great choreographer but a lousy boyfriend", and goes over to ask Charlie out for a date. Charlie, the best male student, is offered a position with the American Ballet Company (ABC).
There are several supporting stories. The dark Hispanic girl who is a fabulous dancer, but with a chip on her shoulder and a loud mouth, and eventually gets a position with ABC. The beautiful, slender dancer who is the best, but is being pushed by her mother, is bullimic, meets a med student, and at the very end drops out because she never wanted to be a ballet dancer and was only pleasing her pushy mother. The dancer who had no self-control with food and eventually is dropped because she gets too heavy. The ABA director (Peter Gallagher) who had won the hand of the female star of the company, winning her from Cooper.
All through the movie there is lots of dancing, mostly representing rehearsals, which in themselves are very interesting and realistic. Near the end, there are several stage performances in full costume and are very nicely done. I bought the DVD so will be viewing this one again every few months.
The DVD is DD 5.1 sound, but during most of the film there is very little in the rear or the subwoofer channels. However, during the "live" performances in the theater, the rear and sub channels are used well for the music and the crowd effects. The "extras" are interesting but limited. The actor profiles don't even include Schull and Radetsky. There are two brief deleted scenes, plus the theatrical trailer. I replayed some key scenes with the "director commentary" turned on, and that was very helpful in understanding how the story was put together and filmed.