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Last modified on Thu 6 May 2021 18.01 EDT
Itâs fair to say dance on screen is getting more ambitious when New York City Ballet go and hire Sofia Coppola to direct their latest film. But the heavyweight director isnât heavy-handed in this beautifully judged reimagining of a gala for the screen, telling the story of the companyâs return to the theatre, from first steps in the rehearsal room to on-stage finale.
The filmâs establishing shots capture the stillness of this time in limbo: huge stacks of unworn pointe shoes, tutus on their hangers, the deserted auditorium. Gonzalo Garcia walks tentatively through an empty studio, but soon the movement (from Jerome Robbinsâ Dances at a Gathering) takes over, like memory flooding through his limbs. The camera moves backstage, with Ashley Bouder and Russell Janzen dancing part of Balanchineâs Duo Concertant in front of a shuttered loading dock. Amid the controlled repetitions of movement, Bouderâs pleasure i