Ballerina

Bertrand Normand's pleasant but slender documentary shines the spotlight on five young women who are rising stars of Moscow's Kirov Ballet. Alina Somova, Svetlana Zakharova, Diana Vishneva, Ulyana Lopatkina, and Evgenia Obraztsova may seem interchangeable to non-ballet fans: each is attractive, athletic, self-assured without being overbearing, and extremely talented. Unfortunately, Ballerina never truly digs deep enough to explore the significant physical and emotional demands placed on today's ballet performers. Obvious questions on issues relating to diet, education, disrupted social life, or salary receive scant attention, leaving large gaps in the viewer's understanding of the commitment and responsibility that are part and parcel of being a Kirov ballerina. On the other hand, the documentary does feature a good deal of footage capturing the women training and rehearsing, and viewers witness the behind-the-scenes elements of staging a ballet. Ultimately, the performances are the reward here, and ballet lovers will enjoy the exciting dance footage of the young ballerinas taking command of their respective roles. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include a photo gallery, a text bio of director Bertrand Normand, and a dance film gallery with trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for an uneven doc.] (P. Hall)