"On Pointe": new Disney film

[alison]

I found a trailer for a new Disney film, "On Pointe", on my YouTube app the other day.  From what I could see before something went wrong, it looks like a documentary about the School of American Ballet.  Does anyone know any more about it?  I think it's due out (whatever that may mean at present) in a couple of weeks.

[Guest oncnp]

2 minutes ago, alison said:

I found a trailer for a new Disney film, "On Pointe", on my YouTube app the other day.  From what I could see before something went wrong, it looks like a documentary about the School of American Ballet.  Does anyone know any more about it?  I think it's due out (whatever that may mean at present) in a couple of weeks.

 

https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/on-pointe

[Odyssey]

I assume you will have to subscribe to the Disney channel to watch it.

[Jan McNulty]

The Playbill link including the trailer was in the Links yesterday:

 

https://www.playbill.com/article/watch-the-trailer-for-disney-s-dance-docuseries-on-pointe

 

[alison]

Oops - I'm still catching up with last month's links, having barely been in the office for the last few weeks for some reason

[Justkeepsmiling]

On 02/12/2020 at 17:50, Odyssey said:

I assume you will have to subscribe to the Disney channel to watch it.

Disney Plus channel. Sometimes you can get a six month free subscription.

[ChrisG]

As a Disney+ subscriber (mainly for Star Wars/Marvel/Pixar!) I can confirm that it isn't on the service yet.  However, it looks like it will be from December 18th https://whatsondisneyplus.com/on-point-coming-soon-to-disney/

[onemouseplace]

I've just watched the first episode and enjoyed it - it's very much docu-drama, but they went through the audition process for the various levels of the school and will clearly follow a couple of dancers at each level throughout the series.  I know very little about Balenchine, so I found it very interesting.

 

We are at the tail end of a 6-month free Disney Plus subscription with O2 so that might be worth looking into for anyone with O2.

[DanJL]

I've just got as far as the start of the third episode and realised that some of the children they follow end up in the NYCB Nutcracker stream currently available to buy. A nice end to the story if you have access to both 🙂

[Jeannette]

While I enjoyed On Pointe very much, the same subject (SAB and auditions/preparation of Nutcracker) was dealt with in a more satisfying manner - more naturally, not as “manipulated,” for lack of better word - in the 2003 documentary by Virginia Brooks titled The Nutcracker Family: Behind the Magic. I purchased the DVD. Not sure if it’s available on YouTube or other streaming service nowadays.

 

It’s really interesting to see the older film, after viewing the new Disney one. Of course, the Disney one is slicker and follows specific kids, enhancing human interest...but, to me, it seems a tad contrived. 

[DanJL]

Sounds interesting - I'll see if I can find it anywhere!

[Janite]

this review turned up on my stream
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/dec/28/disney-on-pointe-ballet

 

[Jan McNulty]

It's always worth looking at the Links.  Several reviews and features about this documentary series have been linked over the last couple of weeks (including the Guardian one included yesterday).

[Quintus]

Guardian reviews generally draw a few eye-rolls from me, as does this, but she's right about the overall warmth (btw my eyes rolled again at the WSJ review demanding more tension, anxiety and drama). We're really enjoying this series, and admiring the talent, personableness and determination of the young dancers. We just watched the episode where the youngsters come together for the first time in rehearsal with the principals - and it was both amusing and touching to see how the children's wide-eyed adulation of Megan Fairchild made them forget to actually move rather than just gaze at her dancing... There are glimpses of what the parents also have to bring to the table for these kids to succeed, and it would be interesting to see more on how the wide range of domestic financial situations depicted may affect the dancers' opportunities. The style of presentation is very laid back, but it's edited in a way that gives opportunity to read between the lines with little pauses, looks between parents etc. Well worth a watch.