First impressions from the Advance Screening:<BR><UL TYPE=SQUARE><BR><LI> Good dancing but lead actress Amanda Schull was so-so;<BR><LI> Okay story (even if they did throw in everything -- from the bulimia to the last-minute injury -- but the kitchen sink;<BR><LI> Good choreography by Christopher Wheeldon;<BR><LI> Weird... make that totally weird choreography by Susan Stroman;<BR><LI> Pretty good acting except for Ethan Stiefel (Julie Kent was better than expected);<BR><LI> Almost corny ending;<BR><LI> Unrealistically tame Artistic Director.<BR></UL><P>According to the publicist in SF, the movie was really targeted at teens. I can believe it. But I also thought the movie entertaining to adult dance fans. However, I would have a hard time recommending it to the general public as there isn't really anything of substance there for the non-dance fan adult.<P>What do others think?<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited May 06, 2000).]

Yahoo! Movies gives Center Stage four out five stars:<BR> <A HREF="http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1800354130" TARGET=_blank>http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1800354130</A> <P>Meanwhile, inspite of her natural acting ability, lead star Amanda Schull decides to stay with SF Ballet. She has been dancing in the Corps of Romeo and Juliet (Scroll to second story at this link):<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/05/DD105015.DTL" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/<BR>archive/2000/05/05/DD105015 .DTL</A> <P><BR>Check her out in this photo with Ethan Stiefel:<BR> <A HREF="http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1800354130&cf=pg&photoid=38535" TARGET=_blank>http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1800354130&cf=pg&photoid=38535</A> <P>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited May 06, 2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 16, 2000).]

BTW, the movie was co-presented in the SF Bay Area by our own Michael Phelan's baydance.com.<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited May 06, 2000).]

Could this be the new "Turning Point"?

<BR>Ethan Stiefel Photo Paul Kolnik<P>Meanwhile Octavia Roca is taken by the parallels between Ethan Stiefel's personal life and his on-screen personality in the following SF Chronicle article:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/07/PK45659.DTL&type=movies" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/<BR>chronicle/archive/2000/05/07/PK45659.DTL&type=movies</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 08, 2000).]

Michael, don't know whether this will be the new Turning Point. The publicist told me this movie was primarily targeted at teens. The one thing though that this movie has going for it is that it's a dance movie that actually features lots of good dancing!

An interview with Etan Stiefel about that film.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.newsday.com/coverage/current/fanfare/sunday/nd7287.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.newsday.com/coverage/current/fanfare/sunday/nd7287.htm</A> <P>and a series of interviews with ballet students along the lines of 'is the film realistic?'<BR> <A HREF="http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/29410.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/29410.htm</A>

trina posted this message elsewhere on the Board, so for consistency I've moved it here:<P><BR>posted May 08, 2000 04:23 PM <P>I just saw a commercial on tv for "Centerstage"-has anyone seen it?--it looks a bit cheesy?!?! Hopefully, it won't be another "Flashdance" revisited..That movie was fairly annoying...a girl welder who becomes a ballet dancer. HUH???? The big problem I had with that movie was the general public thinks that this is what a dancer's life is like--rich boyfriends, sex and go-go dancing...not the reality-hard work, sweat, holes in your shoes, muscular soreness, etc. When is someone going to make an honest to god movie about classical dancers real lives..What did folks think about "the turning point"?

What do you mean it's not real to have rich boyfriends, sex and go go dancing at the end of a long hard working, sweaty day?<p>[This message has been edited by Michael Montgomery (edited May 08, 2000).]

Michael, you crack me up. We are after all talking about ballet students here, who hardly have a life outside the world of ballet.<P>To answer Trina's questions, the bulk of the movie is apparently realistic (I was sitting amongst three ballerinas who told me so) but the ending *is* cheesy.

Michael-is it "real" to be a steel welder before becoming a dancer, and parlay your go-go dancing skills into your audition/acceptance into a ballet company?(heeheehee)...actually, I believe I read that American choreographer Lar Lubovitch was a go-go dancer in NY for a while before starting his modern dance company (he also studied at Juilliard somewhere in there)...he also choreographed the short-lived Broadway musical version of "The Red Shoes"!<p>[This message has been edited by trina (edited May 09, 2000).]

Speaking about another short lived musical project involving Lubovitch. In 1991, I auditioned for a musical of An American in Paris, by the Amsterdam group, his audition and flow of movement were wonderful to dance. Anyway I got the job and was looking forward to dancing his choreography every night. Sadly the project was shelved and just after Crazy for you, incorporating alot of the songs was born (but that's another story)<BR>Lubovitch later created a critically praised staging of Oklahoma; which toured the UK.<P>Oh and Azlan, It was different in my day!

Christy Lemire of the Associated Press enjoys the dancing in 'Center Stage', but thinks that it's a shame when the cast have to speak. <P><BR> <A HREF="http://news.excite.com/news/ap/000509/07/wkd-film-review-center-stage" TARGET=_blank>http://news.excite.com/news/ap/000509/07/wkd-film-review-center-stage</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 09, 2000).]

<P>Ethan Stiefel, Amanda Schull, and Sascha Radetsky.<P><BR>The Dallas observer gets a real buzz from 'Center Stage' and thinks that half the audience will want to go out and dance themselves.<P> <A HREF="http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2000-05-11/film4.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2000-05-11/film4.html</A> <P><BR>And here's an interview with Stiefel in the Bergen Record <BR> <A HREF="http://www.bergen.com/yourtime/stiefel11200005111.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.bergen.com/yourtime/stiefel11200005111.htm</A> <P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 11, 2000).]

Michael, I won't even ask how different it was in your day...<P>As for the movie, upon further reflection, I think Amanda Schull had pretty good technique for a 21-year old. She's not quite yet accomplished which makes the ending unrealistic (Don't worry; I won't give it away).<P>