Name: Darcey's Ballet Heroes
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2015-12-25
Duration: 59 min
Cast: Carlos Acosta, Matthew Bourne, Erik Bruhn

Have always loved ballet since seeing my first ballet 'Swan Lake' at six years old and then seeing an even more magical production of 'The Nutcracker' just half a year later. 'Darcey's Ballet Heroes' was a real treat and a must-watch for anybody who's a fan of ballet.

It was really wonderful to see focus on the male ballet dancing. In ballet the male lead roles are every bit as important as the female lead ballerinas, having to be every bit as technically impressive and be a sympathetic partner. It is easy to overlook them in favour of the ballerinas however or not remember them as much, with their roles perhaps being less showy in characterisation or technically virtuosic (not all cases mind), the ballerinas having more of the famous ballet steps/techniques and in a lot of cases the female leads are the titular characters. This is sad however and shouldn't be the case, but 'Darcey's Ballet Heroes' makes a very good case of them showing more prominence.

'Darcey's Ballet Heroes' was clearly made with a lot of care, affection and cohesion, while the music is timeless and the dancing dazzling, seen mainly through some well-chosen and beautifully done archive footage that couldn't have fitted the theme more perfectly.

Loved the personal anecdotes, and just as much the backstage and rehearsal studios scenes. 'Darcey's Ballet Heroes' truly is a celebration of male ballet dancing and explores with great illumination the story of it and how it transformed ballet and dance. To see the likes of Carlos Acosta, Anthony Dowell and Irek Mukhamedov was a delight and they contribute a lot.

As for Darcey Bussell herself, her presenting is elegant and confident, she clearly knows what she's talking about, is enthusiastic about and talks in a way that's articulate while always being easy to understand.

To conclude, a delight for ballet fans. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

Former Royal Ballet prima ballerina and latterly Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell celebrates male ballet dancing with the help of some its greatest exponents, including Arthur Mitchell (founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem), Anthony Dowell, Peter Schaufuss, Irek Mukhamedov and Carlos Acosta. In the 19th century, male dancers were overshadowed by newly arrived prima ballerinas, but since then they have made a spectacular comeback. With archive footage and personal anecdotes, unique access backstage and visits to rehearsal studios in London, Copenhagen, New York and beyond, Darcey Bussell hears the story of male ballet from dancers who have dedicated their lives to ballet and transformed the art of dance.

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Darcey's Ballet Heroes

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