''A Dancer's Life'': ''The First Position'' is a 1972

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

documentary A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

directed and produced by

William Richert William Richert (1942 – July 19, 2022) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is known for writing and directing the feature films '' Winter Kills'', '' The American Success Company'', and '' A Night in the Life ...

. The personal and professional lives of aspiring dancers at New York's American Ballet Theatre School are chronicled in this documentary.

Synopsis

This documentary about the teachers and students of the American Ballet Theatre School focuses primarily on three aspiring dancers: teenaged Janis Roswick, Daniel Giagni (who adores her), and the irresponsible David Prince. Throughout the film, Janis reads aloud from her diary, disclosing her intention to add beauty to the world and become a better person through dance, and describes her preparation to lose her innocence. Janis is frequently seen walking with Daniel and another dancer, Andrei Kulyk, who flirts with her. When Daniel confides in Andrei about the shyness which keeps him from declaring his feelings for Janis, Andrei advises him to sublimate his feelings to his art. Daniel’s life outside of school, as he drills and trains to be a typist with the

New York National Guard New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 19 ...

, is contrasted with his rehearsals of a scene from ''

Petrouchka ''Petrushka'' (; ) is a ballet by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1911 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company; the original choreography was by Michel Fokine and stage designs and costumes by Alexand ...

'', in which he evokes unrequited love as Janis watches. Daniel comes close to initiating a romantic moment with Janis in her apartment when he tries to take her hand, but when she is not responsive, he soon leaves. David is first seen in his apartment, telling fellow student Marlese Rockey of his ambivalence about becoming a dancer and complaining that

Leon Danielian Leon Danielian (31 October 1920 – 8 March 1997) was an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and educator. As a guest artist with ballet companies around the world, he became one of the first American male dancers to achieve international re ...

, the school's director, characterizes him as conniving. Following this, David is seen in Danielian’s office, where the director remarks on the boy’s improved attitude and cautions him that it must continue or he will be dismissed from school. David is later seen during a visit with his mother, who tries to convince him to return home to Florida. In a segment titled “Acceptance,” after having sex with Marlese, David announces that he might soon leave New York, and later, in a segment called “Betrayal,” Marlese characterizes her affair with him as “time wasted on something that didn’t exist.” In the following segment, David is seen back on a Florida beach, discussing Marlese, his feelings about his lost dance career and his current employment as a supermarket bagger. In segments throughout the film, costumed dancers perform excerpts from the ballet ''Petrouchka''. Teachers Valentina Pereyaslavec and Michael Maule are seen instructing classes, as is Danielian. Confined to a wheelchair throughout most of the film, Danielian discusses his ongoing treatments for arthritis, and sepia-toned footage of a young Danielian dancing in Paris is shown. Later, after an operation restores his mobility, Danielian walks into class where he is applauded by his students.

Rudolph Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev (17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet-born ballet dancer and choreographer. Nureyev is widely regarded as the preeminent male ballet dancer of his generation as well as one of the greatest ballet dancers of all ...

is seen briefly in practice at the studio and

Julie Newmar Julie Newmar (born Julia Chalene Newmeyer; August 16, 1933) is an American actress, dancer, and singer known for a variety of stage, screen, and television roles. She is also a writer, lingerie designer, and real estate Business magnate, mogul. ...

discusses the life of a dancer and talks to Maule about his short film career. The film ends with a long session in which Janis and Daniel perform a romantic, tender dance together, followed by still photographs of students as Pereyaslavec's voice is heard instructing a class.

Cast

* Janis Roswick Menken * Daniel Giagni * Andrei Kulyk * Valentina Pereyaslavec * Yurek Lazowski * Marlese Rockey * Michael Maule * Seymour Roswick * Alex Edwards *

Natalia Makarova Natalia Romanovna Makarova (, born 21 November 1940) is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. ''The History of Dance'', published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her a ...

Fernando Bujones Fernando Bujones (March 9, 1955 – November 10, 2005) was an American dancer. Born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents, Bujones is regarded as one of the finest male dancers of the 20th century and hailed as one of the greatest American male da ...

* Dana Nugent

''Petrouchka'' dancers

* Michael Smuin * Diana Weber * Keith Lee * Yurek Lazowski * Valentina Vishevsky

Critical reception

The film received some "glowing reviews, then disappeared," as described by Diane Hubbard Burns of the ''

Orlando Sentinel The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region, in the United States. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company. The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by pare ...

'' in 1990. The ''New York Times film critic

Roger Greenspun Roger Greenspun (December 16, 1929 – June 18, 2017) was an American journalist and film critic, best known for his work with ''The New York Times'' in which he reviewed near 400 films, particularly in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and for '' ...

gave the film a positive review upon its release in New York in June 1973. In 1992, John Hartl of ''

The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Time ...

'' called it "one of the finest ballet movies ever made."

Home media

The documentary was restored by the film's executive producer Jerry Seltzer and producer/director

using the only two existing prints, rescuing it from obscurity. The film was released on home video "somewhere in the early 1990s."

References

External links

*
''First Position'' at AllMovie.com

''First Position'' at Hollywood.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dancer's Life 1972 documentary films 1972 films Documentary films about ballet Films set in Manhattan Films directed by William Richert Ballet in the United States Documentary films about New York City American documentary films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films English-language documentary films