Dancer

[prettyxcool]

Saw this at the Times+ live screening at Odeon Covent Garden. The premiere was held at the London Palladium and beamed live to 200 cinemas all over the UK. After the film, Sergei Polunin danced live on the stage at the Palladium, his swansong, and then a Q&A afterwards.

Absolutely fascinating and extraordinary documentary, which took 5 years to make, showing Sergei Polunin had it all and was still not satisfied. He made a video as his swansong but it went viral, and made him even more popular. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-tW0CkvdDI

You really endear to him, as you see him suffer physically and psychologically for the sake of his art, here is a really talented and gifted dancer. The film shows the coming of age of a very lonely young man, missing his family in a really competitive environment, disillusioned on reaching the top, and the reconciliation with his family that pushed him. You feel sympathy, the sacrifices everyone has made, from his parents, grandparents to himself, the toll it has taken on his life. A brilliant documentary. A must see!

Spoiler

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It starts with Sergei Polunin, a young boy who was an amazing gymnast, then at 7, he had to choose whether to continue or do ballet. His mum saw his potential in ballet as he used to do the splits and go on forever and ever! However, going to ballet school was expensive. His father had to go to Portugal to work and his grandmother also went abroad to work, leaving his mother to take care of him. The sacrifices his family made really affected him into his adult life. And then what a gruelling life, no mentor, no childhood, just some academic schooling, but mainly ballet, working 11 hours a day.

At 13 he moved, on his own to the Royal Ballet School in London, where he became their youngest Principal dancer at 19. Then unable to cope with the routine and all the restrictions there, at 22, walked out and quit, making headlines as the bad boy of ballet. No one would touch him after that. Then he went to Russia and there he was given a second chance. Finally, he makes a beautiful video, coming to terms with his demons, dancing to the Hozier's song "Take me to Church" expressing his rage and difficult life, proudly showing off his tatoos which are normally covered with stage make up. It goes viral on youtube, and has become a really uplifting and a motivational film for all would be dancers.

In the Q&A, he comes over as a very intelligent young man, has so much to offer than dance. He has set up his own dance company, mentoring others, which he never had when growing up, he has given up on ballet for the time being, which he felt restricted him, and which was not his choice but that of his mother's, but he is continuing to dance. He wants ballet to be shown on TV, and be much more reachable for everyone, and is striving to make the world as one, as he has met a lot of politicians, been to a lot countries and seen everywhere has the same issues, same problems, wherever he goes. His advice to all would be dancers, is to be true to yourself. Tremendous respect to him.

9/10