If you’re going to do a documentary on a subject, you might as well go to the top; thus filmmaker Bertrand Normand made his film about ballerinas by traveling to the Kirov Ballet, the legendary Russian hotbed of dance.
“Ballerina” is the result, a film that focuses on a group of ballerinas at various levels of accomplishment and acclaim. This movie, narrated in English by Diane Baker, is admittedly guilty of merely providing a surface view of an exacting, painful form of expertise. But what a surface.
The Kirov has actually reverted to its original name, the Mariinsky Theatre (it was labeled the Kirov by the Soviets, in honor of a famous assassinated revolutionary, and is still known under that name when touring). But the standards remain high.
We follow the stories of a couple younger ballerinas. Alina Somova is a promising student entering her first year at the Mariinsky, where she needs to adjust to the reality of no longer being the star of her class.
A year older than her, pixie-faced Evgenia Obraztsova seems already to have developed her own personality as a performer. That might explain why she achieves success outside the Mariinsky too, as one of the stars of the French film “Russian Dolls.”
She also shows poise beyond her years in dealing with the praise of the fans who come backstage after a performance of “Romeo and Juliet” — some of whom look like they spend a little too much time thinking about ballet.
Even if you don’t spend time thinking about ballet, you will probably be galvanized by Diana Vishneva, a prima ballerina with the company. In a sequence of rehearsal in a studio, Vishneva radiates the X factor: not just the skill to articulate her body in remarkable ways, but acting ability that communicates a character in a few short seconds.
We also hear the story of Ulyana Lopatkina, anointed as the finest Russian ballerina of her generation before an ankle injury sidelines her for a couple of years. During the break, she gets married and has a child, but now she wants to dance again.
The excerpts from their onstage work are beautifully photographed, including pieces of “Swan Lake” and “Scheherazade.”
At 77 minutes, “Ballerina” can’t delve deep into these stories or offer a distanced eye on the sacrifices involved. And it doesn’t give the detail-rich history lesson of “Ballets Russes,” a fine dance documentary from a couple of years ago. What it delivers is its title: women dancing at the top of the game.
1/2 “Ballerina”
A superficial but handsome look at a group of Russian dancers at various stages of their career at the prestigious Kirov ballet. The personalities of prima ballerinas such as Diana Vishneva come through, and the excerpts are beautifully photographed. In Russian and English, with English subtitles.
Rated: Not rated; probably PG for subject matter
Now showing: Varsity theater.
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