Monday, June 26, 2017

Rebels on Pointe

Rebels on Pointe, dir. Bobbi Jo Hart, 2016 Canada, 90 min. 💖
Friday, June 23, 6:30 p.m., Victoria Theatre: Bay Area première
Rebels on Pointe: Les Ballets
Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (a.k.a. The Trocks) is an all-male dance company, started in New York City in 1974, just five years after Stonewall. Most of the company appears in drag, complete with (mostly) faux-Russian drag queen names (for example, Innokenti Smoktumuchsky and the Legupskis: Araf, Marat, Sergey, Vladimir, and Vyacheslav, plus non-Russian names such as Jacques d’Aniels and William Vanilla).  They perform classical and classically inspired ballet numbers, often satirizing familiar works. Although much of their work is in jest, the technical precision is entirely serious. They have performed all over the world — for some reason, they are especially popular in Japan — to enthusiastic audiences of all ages. If you think that dance perfor­mances are stuffy affairs devoid of laughter and joy, you clearly have never seen the Trocks.

Rebels on Pointe is a documentary showcasing the work of the Trocks, their history, and the individual artists in the company. The clips of performances are enchanting, illuminated by behind-the-scenes subtleties; the history is fascinating; and the portraits of the dancers bring the audience in as intimate friends. We meet the dancers, their families, their fans (including professional dancers with more traditional companies), and the staff. It’s a beautifully executed film about a truly fabulous group of people. C’est magnifique! Definitely a MUST SEE.

IMDb pageOfficial websitetrailer (YouTube) • Facebook • Twitter: @BobbiJoHart

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