First Position is a documentary on ballet. My first impression was "ho-hum." I admit that I have never been to the ballet. Not even Nutcracker. So my limited knowledge of ballet left me wondering if I would actually enjoy a documentary on the subject. I was surprised to find substance in this interesting film, which is the first film from Director Bess Kargman. You couldn't tell that this film was created by a newcomer. Kargman has done one more documentary since this one called Coach, a short doc which I have not seen.
While ballet is not a topic that generally interests me, watching the competitive nature of this artistic endeavor actually engaged me. I had no idea the lengths (and expenses) that parents go through to prepare their children for competition. These competitions start from adolescence through late-teens with competitors vying for coveted scholarships to ballet schools around the world. Some of the competitors are even offered contracts following their performances.
Kargman captures two aspects of ballet, reflected in her subjects. The first aspect is dedication. She documents the tedious preparation from stretching to selecting outfits. She follows her subjects as they compete in local competitions, displaying a variety of solo dances, attire and preparation. She also shows the dark side of ballet. The horrible injuries, masochistic stretching exercises and demanding coaches that extract perfection from their pupils. The dedication of her subjects is revealed as they win competitions on their way to a major competition in New York City that holds their future in the balance.
Kargman does not settle for simple dedication. She delves deeper into her subjects, providing us with an intimacy that goes beyond mere dance. She discovers what motivates the dancers as she reveals personal details. She also reminds us that these dancers are still children. We watch as one dancer rides around his yard on a unicycle and learn about the history of another dancer saved from war torn Africa. The intimacy adds depth to the subject matter, allowing it to extend beyond just ballet.
Kargman personalizes her film through the stories of seven dancers that she records as they advance through their dancing competitions:
Aran Bell is a promising young dancer whose father is stationed in Italy with the US Navy. His dedication to ballet is rare, bringing his coach visible joy.
Bell has a blossoming romance with another young dancer from Israel named Gaya Bommer Yemini. Gaya is an expressive dancer with incredible flexibility. The pair both advance from the European finals to New York.
Michaela Deprince is a survivor. Having survived a brutal childhood in Sierra Leone (where she witnessed the murder of her teacher), Michaela was adopted and brought to the United States. After seeing a magazine with a ballet dancer on the cover, Michaela decided she wanted to experience the same euphoria exhibited by the dancer.
Miko and Jules Jarvis Fogartyare a sister and brother who share the same passionate instructor. While Miko clearly has passion for dance, Jules would rather nap or joke around. Miko goes on to perform while Jules finally decides he wants to drop out of dance. The pair are driven by a mother whose own passion is mirrored in her daughter but not in her son.
Rebecca Houseknecht looks like she was built to be a ballet dancer. She has barbie doll looks, long legs and excellent form. As an older dancer, she actively seeks a contract or scholarship from her competitions.
Joan Sebastian Zamora lives in New York, a long way from his native Columbia. His mother was a ballet dancer who had hoped for a daughter. She was delighted when her son followed her passions and excelled as a dancer. With little hope of moving forward in Columbia, Joan competes in the United States where he has a chance of success. As an older dancer, he also strives for a scholarship in this documentary.
The personal perspectives offered in First Position gave it depth that made it more appealing to me. Learning about the dedication, risks and trials of this endeavor were interesting to me, but overall, would have fallen short of holding my interest had it not been for the personalities. I was impressed with the dedication of the young dancers, who pour their heart and soul into competition.
In the end, this film was still about ballet. I enjoyed it, but found my mind wandering at times. There were dancers I enjoyed watching, but overall, I was only moderately interested in the subject matter. As much as I would like to go higher, I will stick with a rating in the mildly recommended range. I think the Director did an excellent job for a first attempt, her subjects were interesting, but the overall topic did not captivate me. I was entertained but not bowled over. 6.5/10.
