Educational Media Reviews Online

Ballet Boys profiles three teenage boys at the Norwegian National Ballet School. Despite the film’s conventional plot of ballet as the survival of the fittest, this documentary still manages to provide a viewable experience and some new information about dance.

The three boys are profiled at a critical age in their training: when they are auditioning for the next step in their careers as professional dancers. The lead-up to the auditions is a combination of physically demanding training and behind-the-scenes camaraderie of the three boys. There is a sense of isolation to the boys’ lives among a larger group of girls. The film, though, does not explicitly explore this sense of isolation, nor does it explore the possibilities available to these boys that may not be available to their female classmates.

Ballet Boys’ ultimate focus on dancer-as-athlete has been explored elsewhere, including First Run Features’ recent film, TuTu Much. Moreover, those seeking a film that addresses gender in dance, sexual development of male dancers, or even artistic development of developing dancers, will need to turn elsewhere. Yet despite these shortcomings, Ballet Boys’ easy-to-follow plot and its likeable participants are why I recommend this film with reservations for those who enjoy watching anything related to dance, and may even win over those new to dance.