Documentaries

Over the past two days, I was blessed with having multiple hours of free time. During this free period, I took in two wonderful documentary films on youtube. God bless youtube for supplying us with free, good quality movies at out fingertips (literally). The first movie that I watched was called "Every Little Step". This was an entertaining film that followed the audition process for the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. First of all, A Chorus Line is a superb musical that I have had the pleasure to watch multiple times. It is such an intimate look into the unique lives of aspiring dancers and performers. The show captivates its audience right from the start and doesn't let go of your attention till about a week after the show ends. The documentary touches on many aspects of the creation process of the musical as well. The very first step in creating the musical was when Michael Bennett gathered a group of dancers in his living room and recorded hours of them talking about their lives. I found this very interesting and inspiring. What an original way to gain inspiration for writing. The film itself is very entertaining. I truly felt the emotions and conflicts that all of the auditionees felt. Watching this documentary was a moving experience that as an aspiring performer myself, I took away a very valuable lesson. The film itself is ironically much like the story of A Chorus Line: The struggles and successes of everyday people who just want a chance to shine.

The second film that I watched was called "First Position". This film followed seven young ballet dancers as they compete in the Youth America Grand Prix: A world wide prestigious ballet competition that awards dancers scholarships and contracts with renowned dance schools and ballet companies. Every one of these dancers are very special and gifted in ballet. They are the future stars of the ballet stage. The film documented their struggles, successes, and experiences as they prepare for the Grand Prix finals. Not all will succeed. This movie proves that you need to work insanely hard to reach your goals and sometimes you will ultimately fail. As a past ballet dancer myself, I can relate to the lives of these young dancers. I understand why they put them selves through the pain, stress, and exhaustion of training at such a young age. They do it because they can't imagine doing anything else with their lives. A person knows at a very young age whether or not they want to be a dancer.

Both of the films that I watched touch on similar themes. They both convey the message that in everything there is failure and only a few will reach the top. This is an important lesson that can be applied to all aspects of life. I learned a lot from these films and I would highly suggest that you watch them. Anyone, not just performers, can get something out of these films. There are real life lessons hidden inside.