I was totally amazed that they had even the youngest children in pointe shoes for this movie. For some reason, I thought that children didn't go en pointe until they were in their teen years. Was it different in the 40's? Having tried taking pointe classes as an adult, I felt a bit sorry for the little ones trying to dance in them.
Penny
You're right, nowadays, reputable teachers don't put kids on pointe until 11 or 12, if their bodies, feet and muscles are developed enough. Most of the little girls in this movie could not dance on point and keep their knees straight. However, most of the dancing in the movie was very amateurish; flapping arms, trouble holding positions and so forth. I think it's because dance training has come a long way in this country, with better prepared teachers and higher standards.
shareI was drawn to this movie the other night because it was about ballet.Since I have devoted nearly my entire life to the study of and teaching of ballet,I found it incredulous that such youg dancers were shown en pointe.It was just terrible to watch.The standards by which we now judge a dancer to be a Prima Ballerina sure have changed.Thank heavens.Some awful technique and choreography in this film as well.
shareI've seen some really good dance documentaries lately -
'Suzanne Farrell, Elusive Muse'
'Ballets Russe'
'Born to be Wild' (men of American Ballet Theater'
'Balanchine'
'Paul Tayor'
I was able to get them all through Netflix.
Better choreography than in this movie.
My mother danced a few years, and it distorted her toes--a common problem in ballet.
shareLoves to read (great nickname! I do too! :)), I had the same question, especially that tiniest baby in the audition scene for The Butterfly. She looked younger than 5, oweee! I think i remember my dance teacher saying it was not safe yet to go en pointe when i was about 9, so it must have changed since then... or let's hope it has! I can't imagine a parent allowing that, but children in film were put through all sorts of dreadful things in years past.
shareI wondered about that also, b/c I've never seen children so young on pointe before! I don't know anything about ballet though, so to me, I enjoyed the dancing - it looked beautiful to me, but what do I know, lol?!
"Are you going to your grave with unlived lives in your veins?" ~ The Good Girl
The children dancing in this movie were dreadful; not one of them should have been en pointe. The tiny girl who auditioned just before Margaret O'Brien was particularly bad. And the adult dancers certainly were not of ballerina quality. However, the film is not an accurate representation of ballet dancers or ballet training in the 1940s. It is a typical example of Hollywood 'ballet' and the film makers' ignorance and complete indifference to portraying the art accurately.
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