Customer Reviews

Children of Theatre Street [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This academy award-nominated 1977 film is a co-production of western and Soviet film professionals, narrated by the late Princess Grace of Monaco. There are no subtitles--all translations are done by voiceover. It is one of three documentaries about the Kirov Ballet and its school, the Vaganova Choreographic Institute, in St. Petersburg, Russia (called Leningrad at the time of this film). The others--"Backstage at the Kirov" (1984) and "The Leningrad Legend" (1989)--are better in terms of production values and believable candid scenes. But "Children of Theatre Street" is the only one that focuses primarily on the students, and therein lies its great appeal.

Theatre Street is the popular name for Rossi Street, on which the entrance to the Kirov's school is located. Entrance exams are held annually. Thousands of children, aged 10-12, apply; only 20 are selected. Some of the rigorous audition process is shown--the children are chosen for specific physical proportions and natural physical abilities. As the narrator tells us, "Talent is considered worth measuring only when it occurs in the right body." Those chosen face eight years of relative luxury and privilege in the Soviet Union, but also a life of hard work and discipline.

Featured are an 11-year-old girl, a 13-year old boy, and two girls from the graduating class, with much of the focus on preparations for the upcoming graduation performance. The students are shown going to performances, a beach on the Gulf of Finland, and Petrodvorets, the tsars' summer palace near St. Petersburg. They are also shown in a meeting of the Pioneers, the first step in becoming a member of the Communist Party. Some of the activities and interviews with the students were obviously staged (such as a pillow fight when the boy "sneaks" into the girls' dorm) and many are suspect. I wondered how much of the purported closeness between the featured students was for the sake of the film. One real and touching moment, which the scriptwriters chose not to translate, was when the two graduating girls, who are roommates, have finished their much-anticipated (and dreaded) graduation performance and are congratulating each other, full of excitement and relief.

Marring the film is its frequent stage-iness, as well as one messy sequence which intersperses classroom scenes with performances of "Swan Lake," while the music of the ballet is superimposed over the classroom piano, and music from one part of the ballet is played while the dancers perform another part. However, there are plenty of views of beautiful St. Petersburg, and the scenes of the students in classes and performances are delightful, so I give this film four stars. One of the Kirov's illustrious alumni, Rudolf Nureyev, is quoted on the jacket: "...at the Kirov School, there will always be another vintage year, and 'Theatre Street' tells why."

This video offers a wonderful "behind the scenes" look at the school wehere many of Russia's top ballerinas and premiere danseurs were trained. Some of the scenes appeared very staged, but I doubt that a Western director would have been given full leave to photograph most parts of the school and/or students. It was filmed in the 70s, when communism was in power, and therefore, the school was state supported. Though outdated in that respect, the film captures the timelessness of the Vaganova Choreographic Institute. The beauty of the ballet is one that never goes out of vogue, no matter who is in charge of the government. There are several fantastic clips of the Kirov Ballet that present themselves throughout the film. This video made me want to learn to speak Russian and move to St. Petersburg.

We were given this to view by my daughter's dance teacher when she was 8 years old and probably watched it 5 or 6 times that weekend. For the next two years my daughter wanted to move to Russia to train in this school. A very moving documentary of the intensive selection and training the students at this school went through before moving on to the professional world of dance in Communist Russia.

I found this DVD very inspirational in terms of motivating students of ballet to really work hard and strive for perfection. It was interesting and informative to see how the Russian students were picked and what happens to them in their schooling, up to a final performance where they are seen by the public and how they later become successful dancers. There is a wonderful segment showing the older student and how she learns old choreography from an older former great Russian ballerina, like it is handed down reverently from generation to generation. I loved the dancing of these students, as well as the joy they showed in their training.

This DVD is specific to dance audiences. Good for children and adults interested in the history of the Kirov and how ballet dancers are selected from an early age. Very informative for students studying ballet seriously.

This candid, lovingly made 1977 tribute to the Kirov strivers who make big sacrifices to attend the legendary training ground of Balanchine is a sheer delight, both aesthetically and narratively, letting us peer into a highly disciplined world of pure art where expectations are high and the weight of tradition almost oppressive. With Grace Kelly's warm, vivid narration providing the context and translations, we watch as 20 students out of 1000 are carefully selected according to predetermined physical requirements, then spend close to a decade mastering their dance skills. You can't help feeling anxiety and then excitement watching one graduating ballerina make her heart-fluttering debut on the Kirov stage after months of punishing practice. "Street" is a tremendously enjoyable, behind-the-scenes look at greatness in the making.

This movie takes you into the lives of children who aspire to have a professional career in the ballet. It takes you behind the scenes and allows you to see the committment these children make as well as everything these children go through in order to reach their goal. Wonderful movie which I highly recommend.

Bought this for my mom- a devoted Ballet Fan- after her precious VHS copy was lost (and so that she could enjoy this timelass classic on DVD!). She should really be the one writing this review because the film takes her breath away- it's originality, its truth and, of course, the fabulous Grace Kelly as 'herself'.
A unique insight into Kirov draws everyone- young and old, and dancers AND athletes. Through the eyes of its students, one learns that, no matter your sport, you can do anything you want, with PASSION, COMMITMENT, HARD WORK and COURAGE.

I would have paid 3 times the amount of the DVD- this is really very special.

Part propaganda, part humor, part documentary and all true this is the only chance left to see the Kirov as it was for the children who aspired to be the Stars of Soviet Ballet. You overhear today the comments of audiences worldwide when they say "how old are those kids" in awe, but when you see the sweat and tears that go into classical dance all you can have is respect. There are other schools but try to name a world class first star who didn't graduate from the Vaganova Academy.
The film is narrated by the late Princess Grace of Monaco and that already announces a 'class act.' She is careful, tasteful and sensitive towards the youngsters who are the protagonists of the film. The most obvious is a boy who really understands his role as an ambassador for the school, ambassador for the USSR and Young Pioneer (as one would say, he's downright "Timuresque" in the best possible way). Perhaps another aspect of the film is you go from it aware that all of these artists are, first of all, people. That nothing great is accomplished without effort. That we find joy in doing the impossible.
There are some who will say that this DVD is 'dated' but they are wrong. The students at the Vaganova Academy today will be doing pretty much the same things they did when this was made. That's what you have to do to become the greatest.
What has changed? Tickets are still hard to get. Entry to the school is still highly limited. The buildings have been renovated and the Mariinsky Theater is about to have a major and total renovation. The current Director, V. Gergiev, has waited until they were able to acquire the former popular assembly hall (Party meetings back when) so that they will have a place to work from while the Mariinsky/Kirov is being rehabilitated. The 'new' Bolshoi may have the 'glitz' for now, but the Kirov/Mariinsky is, and will always be, the home of the Vaganova Academy which has no equal.
See it and decide for yourself.

I'm not sure why this got such low reviews, this video was such an interesting insight into the Kirov. Granted, this is a Soviet era documentary, I think things have changed greatly, but, for someone obsessed with Russian ballet, like myself, this documentary is a valuable addition to your library. On an interesting side note, there is a young dancer featured in this documentary (sorry, I don't recall her name), that is featured 11 or so years later in "Backstage at the Kirov" and then again, as artistic director of the Kirov twenty-something years later in "Ballerina".