CriticalDance Forum

More official reviews are piling in.<P>Peter Stack of the SF Chronicle thinks "Center Stage" light on its feet, with acting secondary to the dancing:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/12/DD62410.DTL" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/<BR>archive/2000/05/12/DD62410.DTL</A> <P><BR>Meanwhile the Contra Times' Karen Hershenson laments the compelling writing and the believability:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.hotcoco.com/timeout/stories_feattop/x12centerrev_20000512.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.hotcoco.com/timeout/stories_feattop/x12centerrev_20000512.htm</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 16, 2000).]

SF Examiner film critic Wesley Morris thinks "Center Stage" is "footloose but not fancy free" in the following review:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/2000/05/12/WEEKEND952.dtl" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/<BR>archive/2000/05/12/WEEKEND9 52.dtl</A> <P><BR>AP writer Christy Lemire suggests the movie "works best when it's about the dancing":<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2000/05/08/entertainment1440EDT0721.DTL" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/<BR>archive/<BR>2000/05/08/entertainment1440EDT0721.DTL</A> <P><BR>San Jose Mercury News dance critic Anita Amirrezvani points out that "Center Stage" is a "feel-good Hollywood movie":<BR> <A HREF="http://ae.zip2.com/sjmercury/scripts/staticpage.dll?only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=24957&reviewid=151506&mwhere=Bay+Area&mwhen=current&ver=e2.7" TARGET=_blank>http://ae.zip2.co m/sjmercury/scripts/staticpage.dll?only=y&spage=AE/movies/<BR>movies_details<BR>.htm&id=24957&reviewid=151506&mwhere=Bay+Area&mwhen=current&ver=e2.7</A> <P>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 14, 2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 16, 2000).]

For those interested, Michael Phelan has created a web page for the production notes for this movie on his Bay Dance site:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.baydance.com/cs_production.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.baydance.com/cs_production.htm</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited May 14, 2000).]

Another interview with Ethan Stiefel, this one by CNN's Donna Freydkin, in which the ballet star remarked on the rigours of being a filmstar and having to endure marathon press interviews:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/11/ethan.stiefel/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/11/ethan.stiefel/</A>

I saw a review/clip on CNN last night. The dancing looked awesome...but the dialogue seemed a bit inane...eeeek! ...oh well, I'll probably go just to see the dancing. <p>[This message has been edited by trina (edited May 16, 2000).]

Interestingly, I read a comment tonight by a dance fan who liked the acting... Go figure.

Jim Beckermann from the North Jersey 'Record' interviews Nicholas Hytner, the Director about 'Center Stage'. We learn that he was always keen to have Steifel in the film and also that Hytner dug his heels in on the question of using actors and body doubles for the dance sequences and also on a 'happy' ending. <P> <A HREF="http://www.bergen.com/yankees/hytner16200005163.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.bergen.com/yankees/hytner16200005163.htm</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 17, 2000).]

CNN's Paul Tatara thinks "great legs can't keep 'Center Stage' from tumbling" in the following review:<P> <A HREF="http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/16/review.centerstage/index.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/16/review.centerstage/index.html</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited May 17, 2000).]

I enjoyed reading the mixed opinions about Center Stage. I saw it last weekend (I tried twice earlier on and it was booked out here in New York City, then I bought tickets to the late showing) and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I had heard people complain about bad acting, sub-zero choreography and a thin story-line, but I quite liked the movie. Sure, the acting wasn't up there with Meryl Streep's, but it kept me, and my non-dancer husband attentive to the movie's storyline and intent. We were taken into a famous school's dance studios, given a very real glimpse of life on the dance-front and even left with a smirk at the Hollywood-style ending and the knowledge, that even if some of the incidents in the movie are slightly and I mean, only slightly over-the-top, a dancer's life isn't more than blood, sweat and tears...the rest remains behind the scenes-as it should.<P>Is Center Stage another Turning Point? No, and why should it be? Without Ann Bancroft and Shirley Maclaine (apologies if I've mispelt any names) how could it be? In my opinion the dancers/actors made more of an impression on me than many a Hollywood soap opera. Their expressions seemed less contrived and more genuine. <P>The choreography, now that's a different topic altogether. However, if it was geared towards the teen public, it hit the spot. Young people sitting around me in a huge Sony cinema left with nothing by compliments.<P>Don't be put off by negative remarks, Center Stage is well worth a look. At least then you'll make up your own mind about its value.<BR><P>------------------<BR>[This message has been edited by Jennifer]<BR>

About the Turning Point...how do folks feel about it now,,,, 20+ years later? I loved it at the time,,,,but the cat fight between the two main characters seemed a bit goofy to me....reduced ballet to the "lowest common denominator"...but a colleague of mine differed..she thought it was an accurate depiction of "life in the ballet" world, the intrigues, the manipulation, the head trips, etc....what do other folks think?

I liked the movie for showing us the school and the studio, generally things that most non-dancers don't get to see.<P>However, what I like most about the movie is the song I Wanna Be With You that they're playing on the radio. I don't know who the singer is.

According to the press kit, the song "I Wanna Be With You" was sung by Mandy Moore and was written by Keith Thomas, Shelly Peiken and Tiffany Arbuckle.<P>Frankly, I thought the song was on the cheesy side but then again that's just my personal taste.