I am sick of watching dancing films such as Save the last dance where the dancers are actors. For most people they can’t tell the difference, but for dancers it is the most frustrating thing ever. Centre stage uses dancers or doubles. This film is about student at the American Ballet Academy in New York City. The main character Jodie Sawyer is a dancer who is not the perfect and has to overcome a lot to get to where she wants. The film covers many issues such as bulimia, dance, love, romance, homosexuality and heartbreak. The back of the DVD says “It’s not for the faint hearted. It’s for the most gifted and beautiful dancers alive. Supremely talented, vibrant and dedicated, these students sacrifice the ordinary pleasures of life for their art, whilst struggling with the normal joys and sorrows of youth.” The film starts at the auditions for the ABC were Jody sawyer (Amanda Schull) is picked for her personality and beauty rather than her ballet technique. It follows them during their journey through training to be chosen for the company at the end of the year. It shows the competition of the dancers as only 3 boys and 3 girls are picked at the end of the year. Other characters in the film include Jody’s roommate Maureen (Susan May Pratt) who has been a member of the school for a long time and is being pushed into ballet by her mother who works at the school. Maureen struggles with an eating disorder throughout the film. Jody’s other room mate Eva (Zoe Saldana) is the rebel amongst them. She is a talented dancer who has an ‘I don’t care’ attitude. Peter Gallagher from the OC and American Beauty also features in this film as a ballet dance teacher/choreographer.
I’ve danced for 18years and the dancing in this film is a good standard as is the acting. A lot of the actors and actresses are unheard of but don’t let this put you off. The film ends with a big dance show at the end. It is kind of frustrating to watch that as there are costume/set changes that could never happen. This dance would never be able to be recreated in the same way in real life.
The film hasn’t had fantastic reviews but most dancers should enjoy it. It is defiantly suited to female teenagers.
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Life is no rehearsal. The American Ballet company is not for the fainthearted. It's for ... more
the most gifted and beautiful dancers alive. Supremely talented vibrant and dedicated these students sacrifice the ordinary pleasures of life for their art whil...
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![Center Stage [DVD] [2000]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78493650.jpg "Center Stage [DVD] [2000]")
Jun 28th, 2007
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