Center Stage
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| Center Stage | |
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| Directed by | Nicholas Hytner |
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| Produced by | Laurence Mark |
| Written by | Carol Heikkinen |
| Starring | Amanda Schull Peter Gallagher Ethan Stiefel Susan May Pratt Zoë Saldaña Sascha Radetsky |
| Editing by | Tariq Anwar |
| Distributed by | Columbia |
| Release date(s) |  12 May 2000 |
| Running time | 115 Minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $18,000,000 |
| Followed by | Center Stage: Turn It Up |
Center Stage, directed by Nicholas Hytner in 2000, is a drama film about a group of young dancers from various backgrounds who enroll at the American Ballet Academy in New York City. The film explores the issues and difficulties in the world of professional dance, and how each individual copes with the stresses.
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[edit] Plot
After a series of country-wide auditions, 12 young dancers gain entry to the American Ballet Academy (which is loosely based on the School of American Ballet). They work hard, attending classes every day for weeks to make them the best dancers they can possibly be, and in preparations for a final dance workshop which will determine the three boys and three girls who will be asked to join the American Ballet Company (which appears to be based on either the American Ballet Theatre or the New York City Ballet). The workshop will also provide an opportunity for the students to showcase their talent to other ballet companies across the country. Gaining a leading part in the workshop is therefore essential.
Tensions mount between Jonathan (Peter Gallagher), the company's aging choreographer and director, and Cooper Nielson (Ethan Stiefel), his best dancer, who also wants to choreograph. They also have issues because Kathleen, Cooper's ex-girlfriend and fellow ballet dancer, left him for Jonathan. Star student Maureen (Susan May Pratt), a closet bulimic who seems poised for success, discovers that life is passing her by when she meets a pre-med student who shows her life without ballet. Jody Sawyer (Amanda Schull), despite body type issues and bad feet, is determined to dance professionally but it appears less and less likely as the movie progresses that she will be good enough. The talented but smart-mouthed Eva (Zoë Saldaña) loves to dance but seems destined to be stuck in the back of the corps because of her attitude. Tensions also arise between Charlie (a naturally gifted fellow student) and Cooper. Charlie has a crush on Jody, who had a one-night stand with Cooper and remains infatuated with him.
Despite Jonathan's objections, Cooper choreographs a ballet for the workshop (there are three ballets being presented, Jonathan and another choreographer create the other two respectively) which mirrors the relationship between himself, Jonathan, and Kathleen (and also, though done unconsciously, Jody, Charlie and Cooper). Jody, Charlie, and Erik (Charlie's roommate) are set to dance the three lead roles when Erik sprains his ankle in a rehearsal. Cooper then steps in to fill the role, and the tensions between Jody, Charlie and Cooper play out on the stage.
After the final workshop, Cooper starts his own dance company - much to Jonathan's chagrin, as Cooper's financial backer is a woman that Jonathan was hoping would donate to his own company. Cooper asks Jody to be a principal dancer as her dance, though technically behind, is perfect for the kind of dance he wants in his company. He also asks to date her, but Jody turns him down in favor of Charlie. Maureen decides to give up ballet because she finally realizes that ballet is just something she does well, and not what she wants from life. She decides to attend regular university and also seek help for her eating disorder. Eva is picked by Jonathan to join the prestigious American Ballet Company after proving her worth in the workshop - secretly taking Maureen's place, who had the lead in Jonathan's ballet, unbeknown to anyone. Jody's boyfriend Charlie, and their friends Anna (a girl who was always favored by Jonathan) and Erik are also asked to join the American Ballet Company, and Sergei (a Russian dancer who also befriended them) joins his girlfriend in the San Francisco Ballet Company.
[edit] Details and cameos
- Of the main characters who are dancers, four are professional ballet dancers (Amanda Schull, Ethan Stiefel, Sascha Radetsky and Julie Kent), one is a professional figure skater (Ilia Kulik), one had ballet training (Zoë Saldaña), and two were actors with no ballet training (Susan May Pratt and Shakiem Evans). Body doubles were used for many of the major dance sequences.
- After being accepted into the ABA, Jody's mom says to her, "Indiana has a great dance program." Schull, who plays Jody, attended Indiana University for two years in real life.
- Sergei (Kulik) is picked to join the San Francisco Ballet Company after performing in the workshop. Schull, who plays Jody, was a member of the SFB's corps de ballet for several seasons.
- As Cooper, Stiefel makes a stage appearance astride a Harley. In real life, he is an avid motorbike rider and owns a Harley-Davidson Wide Glide.
- There is a subplot in which Cooper attracts the financial support of a flirtatious wealthy female philanthropic (played by Elizabeth Hubbard). A 15 August 2004 New York Times article entitled "How Much Is That Dancer in the Program?" revealed that Stiefel has a very similar real-life sponsorship relationship with a philanthropist named Anka Palitz.
- After the performance of Stars and Stripes, Cooper (Stiefel) shuns Jody and walks out of the theatre with another woman. This woman is played by Gillian Murphy, Stiefel's actual girlfriend and a prima-ballerina of American Ballet Theatre.
[edit] Cast
- Amanda Schull – Jody Sawyer
- Zoë Saldaña – Eva Rodríguez
- Susan May Pratt – Maureen Cummings
- Peter Gallagher – Jonathan Reeves
- Donna Murphy – Juliette Simone
- Debra Monk – Nancy Cummings
- Ethan Stiefel – Cooper Nielson
- Sascha Radetsky – Charlie Sims
- Julie Kent – Kathleen Donahue
- Ilia Kulik – Sergei
- Eion Bailey – Jim Gordon
- Mauricio Sanchez – Dancer at Salsa Club
- Shakiem Evans – Erik Jones
- Elizabeth Hubbard – Joan Miller
- Victor Anthony – Thomas
- Victoria Born – Emily
- Katie Cirone – Latisha
[edit] Sequel
Center Stage 2: Turn It Up was released straight to DVD on October 30th, 2008. It stars newcomer Rachele Brooke Smith as dancer Kate Parker, who has only ever wanted to perform with the American Academy of Ballet. When she doesn't make it after auditioning, she learns that it takes more than precision and perfection to succeed in the dance world. With a turn in a cutting-edge hip-hop club and the help of a good-looking former hockey player who's converted his major to ballet (played by Kenny Wormald), she may just find the passion she needs to make her dreams come true. Also featuring Sarah Jayne Jensen, Peter Gallagher and Ethan Stiefel.
[edit] Soundtrack
- "I Wanna Be with You" – Mandy Moore
- "First Kiss" – i5
- "Don't Get Lost In The Crowd" – Ashley Ballard
- "We're Dancing" – P.Y.T.
- "Friends Forever" – Thunderbugs
- "Get Used To This" – Cyrena
- "A Girl Can Dream" – P.Y.T.
- "Cosmic Girl" – Jamiroquai
- "Higher Ground" – Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Come Baby Come" – Elvis Crespo and Gizelle D'Cole
- "The Way You Make Me Feel" – Michael Jackson
- "If I Was The One" – Ruff Endz
- "Canned Heat" – Jamiroquai
- "I Wanna Be With You (Soul Soul Solution Remix)" – Mandy Moore
[edit] External links
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