Beautifully shot, beautifully edited, a gem of a documentary. This should be required viewing for parents who want their little darlings to be dancers.
The Paris Opera Ballet operates under the auspices of the French government, who help fund the company and the school that trains dancers from the age of 8 until they are ready to enter the company (IF they are ready to enter the company). The level of technical command is impressive, even in the school segments. Most frightening amongst the injuries, exhaustion and prospect of a short career, is the dancers bodies, especially the women. Even for Parisians, most of the dancers are scarily thin. (and yes, I know dancers and work with dancers. We're talking below 10 percent body fat.)
The Paris Opera Ballet operates under the auspices of the French government, who help fund the company and the school that trains dancers from the age of 8 until they are ready to enter the company (IF they are ready to enter the company). The level of technical command is impressive, even in the school segments. Most frightening amongst the injuries, exhaustion and prospect of a short career, is the dancers bodies, especially the women. Even for Parisians, most of the dancers are scarily thin. (and yes, I know dancers and work with dancers. We're talking below 10 percent body fat.)