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SALT LAKE CITY — Nicknamed the "blood, sweat and tutus" by one writer, a new television show "Breaking Pointe," follows Ballet West dancers, showing viewers what happens before the curtain goes up and what it takes to be a dancer.
Ballet West's rehearsal studio is where much of the filming took place, showing the competitive, exhausting and body-straining side of the ballet. BBC Worldwide Productions aimed to capture every aching move in the new series. Producers auditioned 20 American dance companies and chose Salt Lake's.
"Most people don't really understand what it means to be a ballet dancer," said Ballet West Soloist Tom Mattingly. "They don't understand that it's our full-time job. They don't understand all the work that goes on behind-the- scenes to make a beautiful show."
The producers also wanted to address some of the misconceptions about ballet.
Related:
Ballet West invited to perform at Kennedy Center
The spotlight is shining bright on Ballet West. It just received a prestigious invitation to perform its production of "The Nutcracker" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., this December."They really wanted to set the record straight about ballet and ballet in America," said Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute. "What a dancer's life was like. What being in a professional ballet company was like."
Cameras followed 10 dancers for six weeks, to and from rehearsals, performances, even to their homes.
"They followed us into our homes and into our personal lives and, at first, it's kind of hard to let them in. But you become very familiar with the people who you're working with, and the cameras, and sooner rather than later, you realize, you really are being yourself," said Ballet West Demi-Solist Allison DeBona.
The focus, the dedication and the hunt for perfection drives them.
"We really want to show the world how it is to live the life of a ballet dancer and what we do to give everything we've got to become successful," DeBona said.
Ballet West dancers hope they will not only represent their company well, but all ballet dancers.
"I hope that the show is able to reach out to people who never have seen or never would have seen ballet and give them kind of an understanding and appreciation for it," Mattingly said.
"Breaking Pointe" premieres Thursday, May 31 on the CW Network. Initially, there will be six parts, but if Ballet West dancers attract an audience, there could be more.
