Center Stage

Rating:
Summary: 'Center Stage' makes old story fresh
Review: The story is old but the energies are new in ''Center Stage,'' and that's all this film needs to carry it past its familiar backstage elements. A spirited ensemble of appealing young newcomers essentially takes us through a year at a thinly disguised American Ballet Theatre school that will end with advancement for a very few and heartbreak for most. This is made bluntly clear at the outset by the company's kingpin, played by Peter Gallagher with a certain arrogance, but also in a way that convinces us he's not wrong to be as demanding as he is. In one of the film's many echoes of past backstage sagas, he reminds us of the godlike choreographer in ''A Chorus Line.''

Before long, we're also sensing the ghosts of ''The Turning Point,'' ''Stage Door,'' ''Flashdance,'' ''Gypsy,'' and ''Saturday Night Fever.'' But ''Center Stage'' is kept from seeming old and hackneyed by the explosions of freshness from its young performers. One, Ethan Stiefel, is a bona fide ABT star. In the film, he plays a prominent soloist who's feeling confined by the strict parameters of the company's repertoire and wants to push off into a looser, freer kind of choreography. He's also coming off the short end of a romantic triangle involving Gallagher's top dog and the prima ballerina for whose affections both competed.

Not surprisingly, the big climactic dance he devises for the academy graduation recital at a Lincoln Center benefit mixes a romantic triangle with a devolution from classical ballet into something more street-flavored. You expect as much, given that his way of relaxing is to ride his motorcycle from Lincoln Center to a Broadway dance studio and exchange Kenneth MacMillan for Bob Fosse as a change of pace. When he meets Amanda Schull's young ballet maverick, Jody, there, it isn't long before they're doing their own variations on ''Romeo and Juliet.''

''Center Stage'' is filled with mavericks. Schull (in real life a San Francisco Ballet corps member) keeps dancing on pure determination, having been told from day one that her body type is not the balletic ideal. But she works hard, and projects charisma and glow. These mavericks also are uninhibited about mouthing off to their teachers, especially Zoe Saldana's Eva. But one of the quietest young dancers (from the ABT corps), Sascha Radetsky's Charlie, has his eye on Jody, too, and is remarkable for his airy elevations besides. Not all of the characters are portrayed by dancers. Ilia Kulik, who plays the resident Russian in the troupe, is Russian, but is an ice-skating champ.

The ''Stage Door'' echo comes in the competitive roommating of Jody, Eva, and Susan May Pratt's unhappy, bulimic prize pupil, Maureen, being shoved toward stardom by her unfulfilled mother (Debra Monk), the film's ''Gypsy'' connection. As the most prominent of the teachers, Donna Murphy contributes emotional depth to a film that doesn't get enough from its simplistically pitched battle between aspiring youth and manipulative fogeys. Oddly enough, although the film does a good job capturing the backstage world of dance, the dance sequences themselves often seem pedestrian. Still, the producers were right to cast dancers who could act rather than try the reverse. They're easy to watch, easy to like, and they vault over the speed bumps placed in their way by the script. Anybody who's ever laced on toe shoes, or wanted to, will find something to take away from ''Center Stage.''

Rating:
Summary: I hate this movie, and I'm a dancer!!!
Review: When I went to see this movie I thought that I was probably going to enjoy it. Unfortunatly I found that it is one of the worst I have ever seen. Although the film DOES show much of the pain and sacrifice that goes with dancing (espically pointe) the characters are so vapid that you really can't feel anything for them. The story line is somewhat interesting, but is portrayed with such bad acting and direction, that it is lost in the mess that is 'Center Stage'.

Rating:
Summary: Too Stereotypical and Shallow
Review: "Exceptional dancers, in my experience, are also exceptional people, people with an attitude toward life, a kind of quest, and an internal quality"--Mikhail Baryshnikov

That statement also holds true of the dancers that I've met, but the characterizations in this movie do not ring entirely true with me. Everyone is so stereotypical--and even many of the reviewers who enjoy this movie admit that. There's the anorexic girl who is under intense pressure from her mother to succeed. There's the male dancer who's only interested in sleeping with as many women as possible. And, there's the girl who should be the next Margot Fonteyn, if it weren't for her deficient technique and wrong body type. After watching this film, I'm left yearning for a deeper and more nuanced portrayal of dancers' lives. I just don't want to believe that dancers are generally this shallow.

By now, I'm sure you already know that this movie is about the pressure-filled lives of dancers at an academy. "Life doesn't hold tryouts." The plot is adequately described elsewhere, so I'm not going to spend time reiterating it. I also assume that you have read the excellent editorial overview by the Amazon.com staffer.

Like one of the previous viewers, my first impression of the female lead, the beautiful Amanda Schull, was that she is a Jennie Garth look-a-like. At the time this movie was shot, she was only an apprentice in the San Francisco Ballet (SFB). Since then, she has moved up into the corps de ballet. Realistically speaking, she's probably not going to be their next great prima ballerina. But, she's had some acting lessons, and her stage presence is undeniable. Her charm might work well in future demi-character or character roles for SFB, but she would have to steadily improve her dancing in order to move up any further in their ranks.

Ethan Stiefel, of American Ballet Theatre (ABT), is the male lead. Stiefel is indeed blessed with a great deal of dancing ability, but acting is not his strong suit. Julie Kent, also of ABT, plays a minor role. What little dancing she actually does happens to be very lovely. The student dancers, however, are on a lower plane of ability, and they are not entirely above criticism. Today's young dancers would do well to study the greatest female leaper of all times--Maya Plisetskaya of the Bolshoi Ballet. For instance, the student dancers do a jumping pass during one of the classroom scenes, where they all do a pure split in the air. That's how a gymnast would do it on the floor exercise. Back in the glory days of the Bolshoi, their ballerinas used to (1) turn their back leg to the side, (2) bend their back knee just slightly, (3) bevel their back foot up some, (4) angle their front leg down a little bit and their back leg up a little, and (5) then add a little cambre. It's a much superior aesthetic position in the air. These student dancers have some promise, but they need more polish.

This movie has been cleverly positioned from a marketing standpoint. The VCR dust jacket proudly proclaims: "'Fame' for the new millennium." I found it interesting how the pictures that dominate the jacket are so reminiscent of the old TV show. They were taken from the jazz class scene at the "Broadway Dance Studio" and also while they were salsa dancing in a nightclub. By contrast, pictures of ballerinas on pointe have been kept to a bare minimum on the jacket. To me, this suggests a problem with the marketing of ballet among the general public. Let's be honest: ballet has not captured the interest of all that many Americans, and therefore ballet movies are rare. There's a lot of risk involved for the investors, so the writer aims to create a script with larger appeal. That's why they tend to make movies about the lives of dancers (like this one), instead of making movies of actual ballets. This enables them to reach other audiences, such as those for jazz and ballroom dance, because they can incorporate those other elements into the story. (That's exactly what they did in "White Nights" by casting Baryshnikov with tap dancer Gregory Hines.) In this case, some figure skating fans may be attracted to this movie by the inclusion of Ilia Kulik in the cast. I suppose that ballet fans should just be grateful for whatever movies they do get, but it's unfortunate that there aren't more movies of actual ballets being made.

When was the last time that someone in the West took the care and expense to make a movie of an actual ballet (excluding "The Nutcracker")? Take the feature film "Giselle" (1969) by American Ballet Theatre, for example. The lead dancers (Carla Fracci, Erik Bruhn and Toni Lander) laid down some of the most beautiful examples of petit allegro found on film, and many balletomanes just dismissed the movie entirely--without properly valuing the performances--because the camera work wasn't exactly like what they were used to watching in a videotaped stage performance. That's petty. So, in some ways, we ballet fans deserve lame, commercialized movies such as this one. We deserve now having Amanda Schull as our new lead, who at her young age seems to have been picked more for her beautiful looks, personality and ability to heat up the stage with her sex appeal than for her dancing. Yes, I think so.

The idealist in me says, "I want to see movies of actual ballets!" The realist in me says, "Movies about dancer's lives are about all that I'm going to get these days." I guess that maybe I would come to accept this fact, if movies like this one just weren't so stereotypical and shallow.

Rating:
Summary: Great Dancing Outweighs Poor Acting
Review: This movie is great! I own it and I've watched it so many times! If you are looking for a great storyline and/or acting, however, rent it and see how you like it before making this purchase. I thought that the acting was pretty bad and unimportant lines were way overdone, but the dancing was EXCELLENT. The smallest movements of the dancers were well-choreographed. This is especially a great movie for fans of the well-sculpted male. Just check out "Charlie"--a fine dancer...from ANY angle! Enough said.

Rating:
Summary: nice movie
Review: a totally different movie i have seen for a while. would be a classic without the teen love thingy, but then again, that is what appear to mojority of audience. the dance and the theatre part of teh movie is unique and true. that is what i think the movie should focus on more.

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing! Thank you for this movie!
Review: This film reminded me fondly of my youth. I have been pirouetting since I was nine months old and recently procured a spot with a wonderful theater company. As an on-again off-again diva, Center Stage really rang true for me. I was a big fan of American Anthem, the Turning Point, Fame, and Billy Elliot, and this film puts all of those to shame. I especially liked the references to bulimia and cigarette smoking. It was as if I was watching a documentary about my own life play out in front of me. The over the top performances are fantastic! After the incredible success of Empire Records, Carol Heineken is two for two! I can't wait for the sequel!

Rating:
Summary: The Everyday Moments are the Best
Review: The truly excellent dancing and the parts of the movie that show the day to day struggles and triumphs of being a dancer are what make this movie a joy to watch. Zoe Saldana is especially great as Eva, a streetwise gal with plenty of attitude who initially clashes with the strict, traditional management of the ballet academy but as time goes on, learns that the discipline of dance is something she can love in any situation. Kudos also to the girl who played Maureen, the dancer with "the feet but not the heart" for her realistic protrayal of the toll pressure can take and of course to Eithan Stiefal, for some DYNAMITE footwork! I was not, I'm sorry to say, nearly as impressed with Amanda Schull, who seemed to be playing a stock character: cornfed, sweet, girl next door who is wised up by the big city, and whose job for most of the movie is to follow Stiefal around with a look of wistful yearning. I think she has more acting talent than the role allowed her to display. The best moment with her is when she's in the studio practicing the same combination of steps again and again. I can't fault her too much, though, becuase all the characters are common stock to dance films. I hope in her next role she can display her talents more. All in all, a definite crowd pleaser of people who love dancing and movies about dancing!

Rating:
Summary: This is Great!!
Review: OK, I've read some really bad reviews for Center Stage, but i could care less what they have to say! The dancing was amazing and I think it was a great idea to use real dancers rather than actors, because you know these people really have talent. Get the movie, you'll enjoy, I promise!

Rating:
Summary: Great! I couldn't take my eyes off of it!
Review: I thought that this movie had a great plot, with great people acting in it. I really got involved in the love triangle, and Amanda Schull really brought her character alive for me. Out of all of the dancing though, the end scene was the best. With hip jazz, and flowing traditional ballet, it was the perfect combination to make the perfect dance scene. I don't think that it was too much of a soap opera either, but I must admit that when my friend said that she wanted to rent it, I was skeptical, but I had not problem in confessing that I thought that it was a great movie!

Rating:
Summary: Romance and Dance: Hubby and I enjoyed it.
Review: The dance is fantastic, especially the big production number put on by Ethan Stiefel near the end which is very jazzy, involves a love triangle, and even has a motorcycle roaring onstage to join the ensemble. Stiefel is an incredible dancer. I'd not seen him before and it is worth watching the movie alone for his dancing. He plays a principal dancer for American Ballet Theater. His character has been involved in a real life love triangle with his female dance partner, who was stolen from him by the leader of the troup, played by Peter Gallagher. Gallagher has become an expert on playing men you will instantly dislike ever since his rat-like turn in "sex, lies and videotape." The rest of the plot involves a first year class of dancers at ABT and their struggling to make it in the ballet world. Their various romances, one intersecting with Stiefel's character, take up a good amount of plot time as well. It's a "good fun" type of film and reminds me of an earlier film, "Fame," which had similar ingredients, about the High School of Performing Arts in New York City. If you enjoyed "Fame," which I did, you will enjoy this film as well.