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About this movie

Genres:
Documentary, Drama
Language:
English
Running time:
1:34:39
Partner rating:
GREEN
Released:

Cast & Crew

Cast

  1. Aran Bell
  2. Gaya Bommer Yemini
  3. Michaela Deprince
  4. Miko Fogarty
  5. Jules Fogarty
  6. Joan Sebastian Zamora
  7. Rebecca Houseknecht
  8. Denys Ganio
  9. Viktor Kabaniaev
  10. Michelle Lees

Directors

  1. Bess Kargman

Producers

  1. Bess Kargman

First Position

Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:18

Trailer for First Position

Six dance students follow the same dream against long odds in this documentary from filmmaker Bess Kargman. The Youth America Grand Prix is a competition for young ballet students between the ages of 9 and 19; it's one of the world's leading proving grounds for new talent, and most major dance companies and schools pay close attention to who fares well in the annual contest. Each year, thousands of dancers enter, but only 300 make it into the ... Six dance students follow the same dream against long odds in this documentary from filmmaker Bess Kargman. The Youth America Grand Prix is a competition for young ballet students between the ages of 9 and 19; it's one of the world's leading proving grounds for new talent, and most major dance companies and schools pay close attention to who fares well in the annual contest. Each year, thousands of dancers enter, but only 300 make it into the finals, held in New York City. First Position follows six youngsters who've entered the Grand Prix, and their lives and backgrounds offer a glimpse into the wide range of competitors. Sixteen-year-old Joan Sebastian Zamora is from Colombia, and his parents have sent him to America to train with a top instructor; he has to deal with his family's high expectations as well as those of the judges. Miko Fogarty is a 12-year-old from Palo Alto, CA, who dreams of becoming a professional; her parents believe in her, but also want her younger brother to follow in her footsteps, whether he's willing to or not. Fourteen-year-old Michaela DePrince was born in Sierra Leone, and is still haunted by memories of the bloody civil war there; she's since been adopted by a couple in Philadelphia, and dreams of becoming a star in a field where African-Americans are still not well-represented. Rebecca Houseknecht is a 17-year-old from Maryland who looks like a star, and she hopes to skip college and go directly into professional dance. Aran Bell, 11, is the son of a military doctor; he's determined to learn, and while his family is in Italy, he travels hours each day for lessons with a former star of the Ballet Marseilles. And Gaya Bommer Yemini, a close friend of Aran, is the daughter of Nadine Bommer, a well-respected Israeli choreographer, who hopes to follow her mother into the world of ballet. First Position received its world premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.

Trailer for First Position

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Reviews by Rotten Tomatoes

Scored 'fresh' by Rotten Tomatoes

96%Tomatometer score: 96% positive reviews from professional critics.

percent positive reviews

  1. Positive review
    Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail It does a great job developing its characters through its visuals - these are superphysical kids - and honing in on family dynamics. – Full review External link
  2. Positive review
    Linda Barnard, Toronto Star If you have a yearning to feel awkward, inadequate and lazy, watching the whirling teenage (and preteen) talents in director Bess Kargman's First Position will do the trick. – Full review External link
  3. Positive review
    Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times When it's over, you won't remember so much about who won and who lost. Instead, what remains is the expression on a young dancer's face, reflected in a mirror: showing the joy of being in love with... – Full review External link
  4. Positive review
    Tom Long, Detroit News A number of the performances are plain stunning - Aran and Joan, in particular, seem born to move - and in many ways watching the movie is like watching a sporting event; there are winners and... – Full review External link
  5. Positive review
    Amy Hitt, Washington Post It's an intense journey, and Kargman captures it all, down to the dancers' bloodied and bruised feet. – Full review External link

Read more reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

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