Dancing Box

不論你喜歡不喜歡芭蕾舞蹈 或是對舞蹈這領域熟悉與否，這部電影都值得每一個人去看。

當我們腦中呈現出夢想的美境，亦或心中藏有多大熱情與期許，如果沒有執行的勇氣與持續堅持的毅力，夢想真的就只是紙上談兵。夢想的實踐是需要付出代價的。絕大多數的我們對於人生的規劃都是從高中才開始…，這沒有對錯或好不好的問題 …

影片中5位參加YAGP大賽的舞者們，年齡不一樣、背景不一樣，但同樣有對於芭蕾的熱愛、決定一生都要投注在芭蕾的決心與毅力。5位具有天資的年輕舞者們是少數中的少數，即便如此他們仍跟一般人一樣努力、甚至更努力。在台上受獎那一刻，是他們犧牲許多一般人生活、努力多年的成果，最令人動容及稱羨的是--當知道付出是需要很大的代價時、卻仍然熱愛並勇敢挑戰。

不只舞蹈領域，其它領域也同樣，生活中難免有波折，沒有人可以從頭順到尾，就連站在最TOP舞台上的舞者們也一樣。 

夢想的實現會讓人感到快樂愉悅，但也常常不是輕鬆的，有時伴隨的會是更多的苦楚，但猶如11 歲男孩艾倫訓練腳的力量時，「如果覺得快撐不下去時就再多作5下….」，是的，這多的5下是為下次所儲備的能量，成功的能量是須要累積的 ~ 沒有人有例外。

米凱拉雖然有皮膚上的問題、在決賽前三天因腳傷痛到無法練習，仍不放棄。在舞台上她忘了腳傷、也忘了痛，自然的愉笑顏所帶來的美麗舞姿讓人留下深刻的印象。面對苦處仍微笑以對，就能維持熱情並累積成功的能量  ^0^

青春無敵 、、、、、、 = 人生70才開始 

環境不同、年代不同，造就不同的際遇，但這都不應該是成為圓夢的絆腳石!

有夢的朋友們， 加油！

實踐夢想ing者，加油！持之以恆 !

衷心祝福每個人，因為自己的夢想變得更幸福   ^0^

<以下摘自相關網站>

導　　演：貝斯‧卡門（Bess Kargman）

決定決定芭蕾舞者未來的最高盛事–YAGP美國青年芭蕾大賽（Youth America Grand Prix），是照亮他們夢想的舞台。每年有超過五千名9到19歲的各國舞者參加YAGP，卻僅有300名能進入決賽，角逐全額獎學金與工作合約。參賽者僅有5分鐘能證明自己，只要有毫秒閃失，前途便岌岌可危！導演是昔日芭蕾舞者貝斯卡門，縱使已從舞者「退休」，但夢想始終在芭蕾，她說：「外界對芭蕾有很多誤解，我決定挑戰這些刻板印象，拍一部我一直以來都想看的電影！」


本片記錄五個小芭蕾舞者角逐競賽的心血歷程，包括就算被同儕嘲笑，四歲就開始習舞、立志也要跳芭蕾的11歲義大利男孩–艾倫；甜美可人卻眼神堅定的12歲美日混血女孩–米可；被領養的西非內戰孤兒，14歲的米凱拉；為使家人有更好生活的16歲從哥倫比亞遠征紐約男孩–賽巴斯欽；資質過人的嬌嬌女，17歲的蕾貝卡。如天使般飛揚的他們，卸下舞衣舞鞋後，全身都是傷。透過他們截然不同的背景與成長歷程，成就一部跨越種族、膚色的真實《舞動人生》。究竟是怎樣的力量讓他們願意承受苦痛、追求極致完美？本片將揭露這幾位主角的舞動人生，一窺成就頂尖舞者的血淚之路，目睹決定芭蕾舞者未來的關鍵時刻！


【關於電影】

集結幕前幕後所有夢想的熱血紀錄片
未上映便在網路引起高度關注和熱烈討論的《芭蕾首步曲》，刻劃了小小舞者對夢想的大大決心，展示出更繽紛、獨特、風趣的芭蕾人事物。影片完成後便風光席捲各大影展，贏得多座觀眾最愛影片。導演表示：「我為那些熱愛芭蕾及不喜歡芭蕾的人拍了這部片。不少人說他並不喜歡芭蕾，但卻非常喜歡這部電影。」

《芭蕾首步曲》除了帶領觀眾進入美國青年芭蕾大賽的激烈戰場，更深入舞者的台下生活，將這些小朋友的心血歷程，全面呈現給觀眾。擁有芭蕾背景的導演表示：「我很瞭解這主題，透過觀察一個人的雙腳，就能判斷出哪隻腳更強。」片中幾位主角，皆是導演顛覆芭蕾刻板印象的最佳代言。這些背景迥異的小朋友，非但具備超人的意志力和行動力，更激盪出超越舞蹈電影的真實力量！

「後悔的痛」遠遠大過「失敗的痛」
看到一部能盡展芭蕾世界多元面向的電影是導演的夢想，因遲遲等不到別人創作這樣的電影，便毅然決然放棄穩定工作，從決定執導筒到開拍僅短短六星期，從零開始摸索電影製作。影壇前輩勸她別魯莽行事，周遭的人都覺得她瘋了。導演在訪談時堅定表示：「當時我確實瘋了……我認為後悔的痛，遠遠大過失敗的痛。」

　　導演分享：「拍片這兩年所學的，比生命中任何一個兩年還多。我聘請有經驗的人協助拍攝，但並非每個資深劇組都想和新導演合作。」《芭蕾首步曲》的成功不只展現舞者們的堅持，也應證了導演的堅持，幕前幕後一起踏出夢想的一大步。

零電影製作經驗，曾是芭蕾舞者的導演貝斯卡門，一直夢想能看到一部展現多元芭蕾的電影，但遲遲沒有人拍，於是毅然決然辭去穩定的新聞工作，豁出去親執導筒。「我想讓大家看到，並非所有芭蕾舞者都很有錢，也非全是白人，不是所有男芭蕾舞者都是同性戀、女芭蕾舞者都有厭食症，也不是所有星媽都是神經病。」導演十足野心要打破外界對芭蕾的刻板印象，也成功擄獲大眾的喜愛，《芭蕾首步曲》一連獲得多倫多影展、紐約紀錄片影展、舊金山紀錄片影展等多座觀眾最愛影片獎。

*其中一名主角是來自西非的內戰遺孤米凱拉，有著古典芭蕾中罕見的黑皮膚與壯碩身材。在戰爭中失去父母，幸運被美國家庭領養的她說：「我能生活在美國已經是奇蹟。----- 大家都說黑人不能跳古典芭蕾，因為腳型不優、沒有延展性，太粗壯、不夠優美。我想成為優雅的黑人舞者，證明給大家看。」

米凱拉在孤兒院裡看到芭蕾雜誌而立志跳芭蕾，參加YAGP為了競爭全額獎學金，除了可以進入名校學習，更希望幫養父母減輕經濟負擔。對比悲慘的身世，使人無不動容。她有著堪稱驚人的柔軟度與伸展張力，力與美的跳躍能力更是全片亮點。

《芭蕾首步曲》貼身拍攝五名來自不同國家的小舞者，包括就算被同儕嘲笑，也要跳芭蕾的11歲義大利男孩–艾倫；甜美可人卻眼神堅定的12歲美日混血女孩–米可；被領養的西非內戰孤兒，14歲的米凱拉；為使家人有更好生活的16歲哥倫比亞男孩–賽巴斯欽；資質過人的嬌嬌女，17歲的蕾貝卡。另外還有四千多名與他們同樣來自世界各地的選手，投入YAGP選拔為了角逐全額獎學金與工作合約。他們僅有5分鐘能證明自己，多年的訓練能否在舞台上照亮自己的前途呢？

■ Terpsichore for Teens:'First Position' Follows Rising Ballet Stars

Online Articles:April 2012Bess Kargman's first feature documentary, First Position,follows six young ballet dancers and their families as they train, dream andsacrifice to compete in the Youth America Grand Prix for scholarships to theworld's top ballet schools. The film's characters (ages 9 to 19) representhighly diverse backgrounds, yet embody the heartfelt emotion of ballet itselfas an expression of the human body's triumph against the odds--especiallytoday, when art programs for children are so severely underfunded.  Forthe families in the film, there is nothing more important than a child'sself-expression despite the social, physical and financial costs--despite beingbullied at school, sustaining torn ligaments and wearing homemade tutus. FirstPosition does not show the darker side of the story--ofpageant parents, lost childhoods and irreparable physical injuries--butinstead chooses to focus on the why of ballet. It asks us to imagine lovingsomething that much.

The film has performed exceptionally wellfor a first-time feature. It was named the Audience Choice Award First RunnerUp for Best Documentary at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival and wonthe Jury Prize at the San Francisco Documentary Festival along with theAudience Award at DOCNYC. In May, First Position will receivea theatrical release. Watching the film, you will likely yearn to see more ofthe children dancing, but perhaps that is the point. There might not be abetter promotion for ballet out there today.

Documentary recently sat down with filmmaker Bess Kargman to learn more aboutthe context behind the film, which started in 2009 after she noticed a group ofyoung dancers outside of New York's Skirball Center and was so inspired that she quither job to focus on First Position.

Documentary: You mentioned in earlier interviews that you wanted toshow the "true cost of ballet." Can you tell us more about how youthink that theme plays out in the film?

Beth Kargman: One thing I never realized is how creative, artistic andresourceful a lot of dance parents have had to be because of how expensiveballet is. One mother in the film taught herself to design tutus from scratchin order to save $2,000 every time her daughter needed a new costume; thissaves her $10,000-$15,000 ayear. Some kids put their pointe shoes in the freezer with the hope that theywon't break down as quickly; one pair of pointe shoes costs $80. And dancetraining is extremely expensive--some ballet boarding schools cost as much ascollege. That's why for some competitors winning a scholarship can mean thedifference between making it as a dancer or relinquishing a dream.

D: What is it about ballet that inspires such dedication and passion despitethe costs?

BK: The young dancers in this film have a healthy addiction to this artform. They don't do it for fame, and they definitely don't do it for riches.The joy of performing on stage is what propels them, which is why I think somany parents are willing to spend the money on something that makes their sonor daughter truly happy.

D: I know you were a dancer as a child. Did making this film alter youropinion on whether or not young children should pursue professionalballet?  

BK: I found the dedication and determination of these kids extremelyinspiring. I definitely didn't know what I wanted to be when I "grewup" as a 5-year-old. My advice to people thinking about becoming aprofessional dancer is that it must be the only thing you wantto do, otherwise don't do it.  As one of the young dancers says inthe film, "You practice so hard for only two minutes on stage...nobodysees all the hard work you put into it." You have to be OK with that tomake it as a dancer. Gratification must come from within, from doing the samething every day and watching yourself improve. Your teachers are there to giveyou corrections, not shower you with praise. It takes an extreme amount ofmaturity and confidence to make it as a dancer because you have to be OK withthat.

D: How did you address the topic of losing one's childhood to the solededication to ballet?

BK: It was a question I asked the kids over and over again because I knoewtheir responses would challenge preconceived notions about the balletworld. I found it fascinating to hear a 12-year-old explain, "Thereare people who say that I've missed out on childhood, but I think I've had theright amount of childhood and the right amount of ballet thus far." Thiscomes from a girl who does online schooling in order to spend six hours a daytraining every day of the week, and hasn't attended a birthday party in twoyears.

D: What did this film teach you about documentary?

BK: This is my first film and I think I have learned more over the pasttwo years than in any other two-year period of my life. While studying atColumbia Graduate School of Journalism, I had a number of extremely influentialteachers, including the HBO documentary film duo Jon Alpert and Matt O’Neil.They taught me that access is everything, and this was especially the case withmy film. They also ingrained in me a love of vérité. That’s why, when I set outto make this film, I knew that I didn’t want to use a narrator and I neverwanted my voice to be heard asking a question. Little did I know that kidsdon’t ever speak in complete sentences. Let’s just say it was a big learningexperience for all parties involved.

I recognize how incredibly lucky I am tohave assembled such an experienced team that didn't have a problem takingorders from a first-time director [The crew includes Nick Higgins, Kate Amend,Eric Thomas and Chris Hajian].

I think one reason they took me seriouslyis because even if I had never shot a feature-length documentary before, I knowhow to shoot dance. The extremities are hugely important in ballet-- nicelypointed feet, graceful hands, long neck, etc.--and cutting off these featuresmakes for an extremely unsatisfying viewing experience. Close-ups are importantto pepper in sporadically, but that mid-shot that cuts off the dancers at theknees and elbows is pretty useless.

D: Why did you end the film with Joan Sebastian, the young man who becomesthe first person from Colombiato enter The Royal Ballet school?

BK: There are a lot of challenges when setting out to do a competitiondocumentary. For example, if I solely relied on outcome--i.e."winners and losers"--and thus tried to cast the movie according towho I thought would win, I would be risking the entire project on factors Ihave no control over. I was determined to find kids whose personal stories wereso unique that even if the last five minutes of the film didn't turn out asplanned, at least the first 85 minutes would be thrilling, moving, humorous andsurprising. I also selected kids who had that special intangible somethingon stage that even non-ballet lovers can be moved by. I chose to end thefilm with Joan Sebastian because he was also ending a chapter in his life andbeginning a new one. Showing him at the end made the film feel more complete.