Only When I Dance

While celebrating the physical poetry of ballet, this understated yet oddly compelling documentary also reveals the cutthroat competitiveness and harsh politics at the center of this seemingly genteel art form. Focusing on Irlan and Isabela, a pair of young and ambitious dancers from impoverished and crime-ridden neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, filmmaker Beadie Finzi illustrates how these underprivileged, working-class kids' talents are carefully nurtured by the local school of ballet. Both are prepared for the highly selective process of auditioning for professional troupes, which are as prejudicial as they are perfectionist; for the dancers, the process is both psychologically taxing and physically draining. Although Irlan and Isabela hail from the same inner-city backgrounds, their stories are very different in some ways. Irlan is an obvious natural talent who's motivated by his personal passion, while Isabella carries the vicarious dreams of her parents, who dedicate their lives to grooming her for a career as a ballerina. Once this contrast between the two teenagers is established, it isn't hard to predict which one will glide triumphantly through the gauntlet of auditions in Switzerland and New York. DVD extras include the dance-related documentary short “Lil'A” by Katharina Sophie Brauer. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)