The Dancer
|
List Price: Our Price: $13.13 You Save: $11.82 (47%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $10.95 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Dancer
Movie Review: in praise of artisanship
Summary: 5 Stars
This film grabbed me by my metaphorical throat and didn't let go, which is pretty much what a good ballet performance does. I don't love every bit of it. Sometimes it is self-consciously filmic, but I forgive the intrusiveness because it is done in pursuit of a strong point of view, which is brilliantly expatiated. On first viewing, I thought rather too much time was spent showing us how point shoes were made, and fitted, and trimmed, etc. but the point is that dance of this kind is part of a long and communal tradition. The shoes are made the same way that they were one hundred years ago, or two hundred. And as this becomes clear, we gain a perspective on the elements of the dance itself, and see it as part of a grand, and extremely demanding tradition.
For those of us who are not dancers, we see in beautifully lit and patient detail the elements of rehearsal, the details of the body, the joints, the muscles, the skin, the geometry of movement, the yogic elements of both extreme concentration and mind-body interconnection, all combined in the service of this art, which is a culmination of all these, in the service of narrative.
Much contemporary ballet takes a combination of two "popular" tropes: ballet is becoming up to date, and is now all about a contemporary dance perspective, half-apologetically dragging its tradition behind; or, ballet is celebrated because of its glitzy, super-athletic emphasis on speed and leaps and increasingly harsh lighting, modern costuming, muscular males dancers, and exaggeratedly anorexic girls and women.
In The Dancer, we are given a view of the extreme, perfect elegance of the basic motions of the dance, and a serious, patient analysis of gesture, and line, and narrative expression. We see dancing as both a kind of meditation, and as an intelligent rhetoric of expression. Watch this magnificent film very, very, very closely, and you will rejoice in the subtlety of this art, the beauty of the dance, and of the dancer.
Movie Review: A Dancer's Life
Summary: 5 Stars
Katja Bjorner's dedication to ballet is revealed in a personal profile directed by Donya Feurer. Her tenacity is ever present during the vigorous training sessions where nothing less than perfection is acceptable.
Still, in this world of strict regimens, there is an undercurrent of elation as the dancers start to realize their dreams. The teachers express a warmth and patience that reveals they must truly believe in their student's ability to excel beyond expectation.
One of the highly intriguing aspects of this sensitive portrait is how the ballet shoes are created. While dance itself is portrayed with exquisite beauty, the life behind the scenes is captured with equal clarity. The Dancer reveals the life of a ballet student from every angle, except having a personal life or friends outside of class seems completely absent.
The dedication it takes to reach the desired level of perfection sweeps everything aside in favor of an art form that brings breathless beauty to the stage.
~The Rebecca Review
Movie Review: A Rare And Magnificent Look Into The Royal Swedish Ballet School.
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like ballet documentaries then this one should be in your collection. We do not often get to learn much of what goes on in the Northern European Ballet Community, which has made very important contributions to the ballet tradition, so this is all the more welcome. It is an intimate behind the scenes look into the Royal Swedish Ballet and its school. We are shown the daily routines of the dancers in training, both female and male. Mostly, we follow the daily routine of Katja Bjoerner, a young lady who is one of Sweden's hopes for a prima ballerina. There are many classroom scenes with group and private instruction at the professional level, both barre and center, as well as stage rehearsals. Some of the dialogue is in Swedish with English subtitles, but a lot of English is spoken also. Katja speaks perfect English. For more on the Royal Swedish Ballet see my review of their Swan Lake.Movie Review: What it takes to be a dancer
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very nice portrayal of what it's like behind the scenes for a dancer working her way up in a prestigious ballet company (The Swedish Royal Ballet)--the nitty gritty of hours of hours of workout, and what it's like to live that life. Also informative about how ballet shoes are constructed, and a behind the scenes look at the costume department, and general production concerns. A definite must for any dance or ballet aficionados, and for anyone considering it as a career, but also a joy for anyone who loves the performing arts. The narration is pleasant, unobtrusive, and expertly handled by the famous Swedish actor, Joseph Erlandson, who has been in a number of Ingmar Bergman's films.Movie Review: A Definite Buy for Dancers
Summary: 5 Stars
Though I am not a dancer, I love anything having to do with ballet. I discovered this little film many years ago and rented it probably about 30 times from the video store. I recently purchased it on DVD and found that I still adore every moment of it. There is something compelling (as the narrator of the film also sees) about the dedication it takes young people to become professional dancers. This film brings to life the incredible hard work of dance students. Though there are snippets of certain performaces, what really draws you in are the rehearsals, warm-ups and stretching, for that is where the real meat of ballet lies. If you love dance, you'll love this film.