The Dancers' Story The National Ballet of Canada

"The Dancers Story is a choreographed documentary weaving past with present using the vocabulary of dance. In celebration of the 50TH anniversary of the National Ballet of Canada, a sampling of five generations of dancers gather at the ballet barre. The Dancers' Story is a blend of novel documentary with an abundance of freshly filmed performance."@en
"Documentary on the history of the National Ballet of Canada, as seen through the dancers' eyes. The program opens with reminiscences by Celia Franca, the company's founder and first artistic director, filmed in St. Lawrence Hall in Toronto, the company's original home. Each decade of the company's history, from the 1950s to the 1990s, is represented by a group of dancers who joined during that time. They are depicted in the present day, practicing at the barre in St. Lawrence Hall, while archival footage and still photographs portray them in past performances, rehearsals, and classes. They discuss their experiences in the company: their artistic aspirations; their favorite ballets and roles; their working relationships with other dancers, choreographers, and company directors. Interspersed among these segments are excerpts of ballets performed by present-day company members. At the close of the program, artistic director James Kudelka is seen in the studio, working on the choreography for his ballet The contract with dancer Martine Lamy."