Filmmaker David Kinsella’s A Beautiful Tragedy, a documentary that opens the doors of the Perm State Ballet

School, is now available in all DVD formats.

A Beautiful Tragedy was just released in NTSC format for North Americans, so I haven’t seen the entire film yet. But this isn’t a review of the film.

I understand the setting that Kinsella is covering, and I’ve seen clips from A Beautiful Tragedy. On Kinsella’s YouTube Channel, you’ll find several video clips. There, you’ll also find plenty of comments on each clip. It’s these comments that interest me today.

The Significance of A Beautiful Tragedy

It itself, A Beautiful Tragedy looks like a stunning, and important, documentary. But it’s an interesting work because it captures the attention of dancers and non-dancers alike. Several years ago, a film like A Beautiful Tragedy might have only reached dancers and ballet enthusiasts. But now that anyone can easily view clips on YouTube, people who admit that they “aren’t really into ballet” are still watching, and commenting on, the film.

So what? you’re asking. Well, a film with the potential influence of A Beautiful Tragedy can shape the way some people look at dancers. And it’s likely that some people who watch clips of this documentary have never attended a ballet.

Some people today ask if ballet is still “relevant.” The fact that this question is raised shows that we should take note of how the world sees ballet, and especially the young people in the world. They’re the dancers and audiences of tomorrow. Judging from comments on A Beautiful Tragedy, we can see that young people might view the ballet world as a place of eating disorders and unreasonable discipline.

Starving Artists

One of the oldest debates in ballet history focuses on the issue of eating disorders, specifically anorexia, among dancers. A Beautiful Tragedy looks squarely at this issue.

Anorexia is a sad condition that can physically, emotionally, and socially debilitate a person. Dance instructors have a duty to inform students of the dangers of eating disorders—the encouragement of deadly

starvation habits should not be part of ballet class.

But, people often wrongly label ballerinas as anorexics. Ballet dancers often have a certain body type (ectomorph), and this is simply determined by a person’s genes. Female ectomorphs are naturally thinner and less muscular whether or not they ever take ballet. But when an ectomorph is also a ballet dancer, ballet is “blamed” for the thinness.

I’m not trying to dismiss the severity of eating disorders. But, comments on this documentary suggest that many non-dancers see all ballerinas as self-destructive artists, starving at the hands of ruthless instructors. With that view, it isn’t surprising that these young people would refrain from attending a ballet.

Extreme Discipline

The Perm State Ballet School instructors are tough. Many of the film’s viewers think they’re unreasonably tough.

In one clip, the instructor singles out a dancer. “Idiots don’t dance,” she says after pulling the student to the side of the room. “Only the clever ones dance. And only clever people work in this profession.”

“Where did this teacher learn to teach? Was she originally a prison guard?” one commenter asked. Yes, they’re tough, and we feel sorry for the student. We might even unleash nasty comments about the instructor, having heard of—or studied under—teachers who crushed students’ self-esteem with harsh criticism.

But, really, is the instructor wrong?

Truthfully, idiots don’t dance, at least not professionally. Only the best make it in dance, and so to dance professionally, the girl must be clever.

But isn’t this true in all professions? Idiots don’t become CEOs. Only clever people write best-selling novels. Foolish people aren’t likely to make groundbreaking medical discoveries.

Maybe people don’t understand the demand for discipline, dedication, and perfection in ballet, because they don’t think of ballet as a “real” passion or a “real” profession that benefits society.

I might be wrong, but I don’t think we have the same sort of debate when doctors, business owners, lawyers, and writers make great sacrifices to perfect their passions. Maybe the world needs to see ballet—and dance, and art overall—as more than just a hobby.

Keeping it Relevant

I’m not criticizing A Beautiful Tragedy, especially when I haven’t seen the entire thing. In fact, I’m excited about this film, and I’m glad that it’s reaching a wide audience. What I’m trying to do is examine the outside

world’s view of ballet.

A work like A Beautiful Tragedy that reaches non-dancers gives non-dancers a reason to comment on ballet. If we want to understand why many younger audiences don’t appreciate ballet, we should listen to their comments.

People have prejudices against ballet. When we learn what these are, then we can figure out how to show younger non-dancers the real art, beauty, and creation in ballet. And, we can help keep ballet “relevant” for future generations.

Photos: stills from A Beautiful Tragedy