CriticalDance Forum

Has anybody seen First Position yet? You might like a new show premiering on ABC Family this summer called Bunheads that features the world of dance mixed with all the drama that comes with it! Did you know the stars and executive producers were life-long dancers? Trust me, it shows! Here’s a synopsis: Bunheads is the tale of a Las Vegas showgirl, who impulsively marries a man, moves to his sleepy coastal town, and takes an uneasy role at her new mother-in-law's dance school. From Executive Producer Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls, the series will be headlined by Tony Award®-winning actor Sutton Foster. Bunheads is set to premiere Monday, June 11. I work with the network and wanted to share with you the preview for the series, which premieres on Monday, June 11 at 9/8c. What do you think - will you guys tune-in?

Loving it so far this season.

Billy Elliot Coal Miners Dance last night -- Absolutely Cool !

"ABC Family has torn down the Bunheads set.

"But — and it’s a big but — the show hasn’t been canceled either, a hopeful sign considering the last original episode aired in February: If the network wanted to be done with it, they’d be done with it. So let’s indulge in some optimism, shall we, and focus on the reasons why it might come back."


I do hope that this show is continued. It's probably my tv favorite.

http://www.vulture.com/2013/07/why-abc- ... newal.html
(posted at Ballet Alert!)

This is a subject area for a show that deserves more exposure. Serious dance is every bit as demanding as any of the arts and the sports as well, but few people realize it. Back in the spring of 1968 one of the tv networks did a one-time special entitled "Man Who Dances". It was a profile of the pro baseball player Edward Villella, who took up the study of ballet to keep himself conditioned in the off-season. It was most fascinating, and I have yet to see another presentation like this, (not withstanding that others could have been made). The fans of all brawn and testosterone driven sports might see that the demands and concerns of both sports and ballet and modern dance are not mutually exclusive. Dance offers nuances of expression that the sports fans might come to appreciate, were they to become acquainted with the medium. As a subject area for both entertainment and education dance, is a fertile ground. More shows like this would be a step in the right direction.

The show has unfortunately been cancelled (

Other shows that have been cancelled, ksneds, have been brought back. Maybe Bunheads too.

Phillip, Edward Villella likes to compare his art to the classical Greek ideal of developing both the mind and the body.

I thought the best line was: Mr. Balanchine made us do grands battements for 2-1/2 hours and we couldn't stop until somebody died...

Gia Kourlas in the "New York Times" says that she really misses "Bunheads" (so do I) and tells why. She asks this question and ends with this touch of optimism.

"Can nothing be done to extend its life? Netflix? HBO? I’d take Lifetime.

"But what if Ms. Sherman-Palladino’s characters could really come to life? I can’t stop imagining “Bunheads” as a musical. The dances are already choreographed. The stellar cast, after all, featured the Broadway veterans Ms. Foster and Ms. Bishop. The farewell dance could be the encore. Maybe all we need is a bigger sandbox."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/arts/ ... .html?_r=0

I'm quite fine as well with the original "sandbox" put back right where it was. Not an impossible idea for a 'not only of dance interest' *Very Entertaining TV Series*.