FIRST POSITION
***
Director: Bess Kargman
Principal cast:
Aran Bell
Rebecca Houseknecht
Joan Sebastian Zamora
Miko Fogarty
Jules Jarvis Fogarty
Gaya Bommer Yemini
Michaela DePrince
Country: USA
Classification: G
Runtime: 94 mins.
Australian release date: 11 April 2013
A film about six young dancers between the ages of nine and sixteen competing to win a ballet scholarship via the Youth America Grand Prix would be enough to elicit a groan or two from some viewers, however Bess Kargman’s feature-length documentary, First Position, is an inspirational piece informed by the director’s obvious love of ballet. It is a truly moving depiction of talented and dedicated dancers whose determination to succeed is extraordinary.
We meet Miko Fogarty, whose Japanese mother is always one step behind her daughter in encouraging her to make it all the way to the finals. Unlike many stage mothers, she is actually more of a benefit than a hindrance and there are some telling moments when Miko’s brother, Jules, who is also being encouraged to prepare for the competition, makes it quite clear that ballet is not his thing. Then there’s Aran Bell, whose family are relocated from Washington to a military base in Naples and he has to travel two hours a day to commute to his dance school in Rome; Aron is best friends with Gaya Bommer Yemini, a young Israeli contestant with whom he forges a really sweet relationship. Joan Sebastian Zamora, from Columbia, is from a family who have made great financial sacrifices to help him achieve his goal and he carries the weight of his family’s financial future on his shoulders. The most interesting background story comes from Michaela DePrince, who is a war orphan from Sierra Leone - she not only has to overcome the trauma of her past but also the fact that her African heritage deems her unsuitable, in the eyes of many, for a career in ballet. It is suggested that her physique and natural rhythm make her out of sync with the typical ballerina. Last, but not least, is Rebecca Houseknecht, the classic white ‘princess,’ who is as ambitious as the others and just as talented.
In this, her first film, Kargman sets out to shatter the pre-conceived perceptions attributed to ballet performers. She chooses her characters wisely for they depict all kinds of diversity in race, colour, physical attributes and socio-economic backgrounds. The main focus of the film is to portray the genuine physical and emotional hardship that faces young dancers who must get into prestigious training schools in order to establish themselves in a professional capacity. Not dissimilar to another compelling documentary, Spellbound, which also revealed the incredible commitment young people must have when entering competitions. It is worth noting that First Position takes us a step further into a world that many admire, but mostly from a sitting position. It would be interesting to see a follow-up documentary in a few years and discover whether these gifted dancers are successful or not. After all, it is a cruel world out there and one can only hope that giving up their childhood was worth all the pain.
Principal cast:
Aran Bell
Rebecca Houseknecht
Joan Sebastian Zamora
Miko Fogarty
Jules Jarvis Fogarty
Gaya Bommer Yemini
Michaela DePrince
Country: USA
Classification: G
Runtime: 94 mins.
Australian release date: 11 April 2013
A film about six young dancers between the ages of nine and sixteen competing to win a ballet scholarship via the Youth America Grand Prix would be enough to elicit a groan or two from some viewers, however Bess Kargman’s feature-length documentary, First Position, is an inspirational piece informed by the director’s obvious love of ballet. It is a truly moving depiction of talented and dedicated dancers whose determination to succeed is extraordinary.
We meet Miko Fogarty, whose Japanese mother is always one step behind her daughter in encouraging her to make it all the way to the finals. Unlike many stage mothers, she is actually more of a benefit than a hindrance and there are some telling moments when Miko’s brother, Jules, who is also being encouraged to prepare for the competition, makes it quite clear that ballet is not his thing. Then there’s Aran Bell, whose family are relocated from Washington to a military base in Naples and he has to travel two hours a day to commute to his dance school in Rome; Aron is best friends with Gaya Bommer Yemini, a young Israeli contestant with whom he forges a really sweet relationship. Joan Sebastian Zamora, from Columbia, is from a family who have made great financial sacrifices to help him achieve his goal and he carries the weight of his family’s financial future on his shoulders. The most interesting background story comes from Michaela DePrince, who is a war orphan from Sierra Leone - she not only has to overcome the trauma of her past but also the fact that her African heritage deems her unsuitable, in the eyes of many, for a career in ballet. It is suggested that her physique and natural rhythm make her out of sync with the typical ballerina. Last, but not least, is Rebecca Houseknecht, the classic white ‘princess,’ who is as ambitious as the others and just as talented.
In this, her first film, Kargman sets out to shatter the pre-conceived perceptions attributed to ballet performers. She chooses her characters wisely for they depict all kinds of diversity in race, colour, physical attributes and socio-economic backgrounds. The main focus of the film is to portray the genuine physical and emotional hardship that faces young dancers who must get into prestigious training schools in order to establish themselves in a professional capacity. Not dissimilar to another compelling documentary, Spellbound, which also revealed the incredible commitment young people must have when entering competitions. It is worth noting that First Position takes us a step further into a world that many admire, but mostly from a sitting position. It would be interesting to see a follow-up documentary in a few years and discover whether these gifted dancers are successful or not. After all, it is a cruel world out there and one can only hope that giving up their childhood was worth all the pain.