Joy Womack: The White Swan 2021
Distributed by Film Movement
Produced by Dina Burlis
Directed by Dina Burlis and Sergey Gavrilov
Streaming, 90 mins
High School - General Adult
Communication; Dance; Eating Disorders
Date Entered: 03/23/2021
Reviewed by Kimberly Poppiti, St. Joseph's College, Patchogue, NYJoy Womack: The White Swan documents the three-year journey of Joy Annabelle Womack as she pursues her dream of dancing the lead in Swan Lake at the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. After moving to Russia, Womack signed a contract and danced with the Bolshoi Ballet; she also performed various solo roles at the Kremlin Ballet Theatre of Moscow. Since then, she has danced professionally in South Korea and the United States. Womack is still dancing professionally, and this is one of two recent films about her life; viewers in the field of dance are likely to be familiar with at least some aspects of her career prior to watching this film.
The action of Joy Womack: The White Swan opens two days before the opening of her performance of the principal role in Swan Lake, then flashes back, providing a brief overview of Womack’s early training and life in America, including her move to Russia at the age of fifteen in order to train, and hopefully someday perform, with the Bolshoi Ballet. Womack’s dedication to her craft and her commitment to achieving her goals are evident throughout the film. The film culminates with her performance in Swan Lake, which is followed by a brief denouement featuring a montage of her leading roles in Russia and a short discussion of her future plans.
Throughout the film, the filmmakers incorporate interviews and voice-over commentary from Womack with that of numerous others, including teachers, friends, and journalists; the filmmaker’s blend this content with footage of Womack in performance, rehearsal, practice, and private life, focusing mainly on her dancing, but also devoting a significant amount of time to her personal relationship with Russian dancer, and later choreographer, Nikita Ivanov-Goncharov. The film seems perhaps longer than it needs to be but provides viewers with a solid understanding of Womack’s career goals, as well as her training, including its physical and mental tolls, which include various physical injuries as well as mental and emotional struggles. There is an underlying, unstated, comparison between aspects of Swan Lake and parts of Womack's story, which may recall for some viewers aspects of the feature film, Black Swan.
While Womack’s career path is atypical, this film will provide interesting and worthwhile viewing for those interested in learning about her life and career, especially her work in Russia. It may also be of interest to those curious about the training and career prospects of elite ballet dancers in general. The film may hold appeal for others in the fields of ballet and dance, as well as those studying communication and eating disorders. Potential viewers should note that the film documents extreme eating and exercise habits. It includes a scene in which Womack describes her former self as “so anorexic,” others in which she appears to display disordered eating, and also others depicting the intensity of her physical training. The filmmakers juxtapose these scenes with numerous comments about the desirability of extreme thinness, along with images of very thin dancers, but no direct connection is drawn. Womack’s professional success, while balanced by personal struggles, may be interpreted as the endorsement of unhealthy habits or ideals. This film may be triggering or damaging for viewers with body dysmorphia, as well as for those with eating or exercise disorders.
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