MovieChat Forums > La danse (2009) Discussion > what to make of the artistic director

what to make of the artistic director


WARNING: THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT michaelflatley.

My audience often laughed when she spoke, presumably because she has to wear a dozen hats and try to please everyone and, when caught on camera, comes off as an idiot. She does not seem to handle the pressure well, though she does have an air of unearned self-confidence. I would really love to see someone credibly defend her, as I can appreciate how difficult her position must be.

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Thank you easypz. I apologize for saying she came off as "idiotic," and the truth is I didn't talk to any other audience members, so I don't know why they were laughing; I was only guessing. I appreciate your summaries of Lefevre's main scenes and especially the quotations. As an American who loves France but can't afford to go there very often, I try to view French movies without resorting too much to the subtitles in an effort not to lose the middling French I have. For this reason, I may have missed or mangled some of her more powerful statements.

Here are a couple of negative impressions I still have of Lefevre: 1) she's defensive and reactive. When someone, for instance the principle dancer, begins a comment that could possibly be construed as critical or even just doubting, Lefevre immediately interrupts and inserts a defense that may or may not be even necessary. Conversations with her are both awkward and frustratingly melodramatic for that reason. I'm sorry I can't give a specific example, but give my memory or my ability to view the DVD a chance. 2) She's Always On as a salesperson. This may come with the artistic-director territory, but it's not pretty on film.

Writing this, I realize my objections have to do with style, not substance. Possibly the audience was only laughing at Lefevre's rat-a-tat-tat delivery style.

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The main reason I've waited with such eagerness for this movie is that the Paris Opera Ballet dancers are so incredibly good (I've only seen a few principal dancers in person through the years, but have seen the company on video much more), and that is a huge credit to Brigitte Lefèvre, as well as to Elisabeth Platel, director of the school, and to many of the others who make that happen, and those who've gone before. Ms. Lefèvre knows the company intimately, having begun training at its school at age eight, joined the company at sixteen, and had a long, successful career there working with a huge range of teachers and choreographers, She became a choreographer herself and left the POB to found her own company (actually co-found, with Jacques Garnier), "Théâtre du Silence," which was a very important one in contemporary dance during its existence. She's worked her way up through numerous appointments within the government and the Opéra de Paris, to attain the job she has. (By the way, she also continued to choreograph and acted in at least one theater production.) I thought the movie showed her in a very positive light. It was especially nice to see her make time to speak with the two dancers we saw; I found myself wishing some of the directors I'd worked with in ballet companies had been so thoughtful and accommodating (though I was sorry she didn't gently warn the young dancer not to go too far in losing weight, as it looked like she might need to watch out about that, and one comment about how good it is that one's lost weight can send some dancers into the danger zone).

Clearly, Lefèvre is a sharp, passionate, intelligent woman who has a huge job that she seems to be fulfilling very well. One thing I like very much (not sure how much this is due to her direction) is that the POB makes itself available for so many to see, by having productions filmed, televised, shown in cinemas, and made available on DVD. I can tell you there is some resentment among ballet aficionados that the New York City Ballet does not do more of that. To a degree, they keep their performances and much of their repertoire limited to those who can attend live performances. I know that there's no replacement for experiencing live performance in person, but the reality is that so very many people cannot do that, and companies of that magnitude and importance should do the best they can to address that in this technological age. This being a site for movie and video fans, I doubt I need to sell the idea of the importance of those media.

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