That's Dancing! (1985)
Mikhail Baryshnikov: Self - Host
Photos
Quotes
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Mikhail Baryshnikov : More than any other of the greatest artists of the Impressionist era, Degas was fascinated by the powerful and exciting world of ballet. The flowing movements of ballerinas on stage. The candid poses of young dancers waiting in the wings, in the rehearsal halls and in dance classes. All this, Degas captured on canvas after canvas. Degas was enchanted by what he called the ethereal like illusion of the ballet and, he wrote, "the hard work behind it, which the public doesn't suspect." Today, a century later, the public is much more aware of the discipline that classical dancing requires. Mainly because they see so much of it in films and on television.
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Mikhail Baryshnikov : "The Red Shoes" - the most popular ballet film ever made. It starred the luminous Moira Shearer, with Robert Helpmann and, as the sinister shoemaker, Léonide Massine. Based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, it is the story of the ballerina who once she puts on the magical red shoes, is doomed to dance forever. Filmed in 1948, "The Red Shoes" has become a cult classic, inspiring countless young girls to attend ballet class in the hopes they too would master the artistry of dance, so beautifully depicted by Moira Shearer.
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Mikhail Baryshnikov : Classical ballet, modern dance, theatrical dancing. Today, we see these styles dance overlapping, borrowing steps and movements from each other. This, I believe, is wonderful. We all to learn from each other, bringing more joy and satisfaction to the audience. And, what an audience it is. The largest the world has ever known. They say we are entering in a new age in the history of dance. But, then, that is what makes dancing so exciting. It is constantly changing.
