As they breathe
Director Claire Patronik
Countries France
Duration 91 min
Synopsis
What is it to be a dancer? Why this choice of life? Films about dance... we've seen plenty! Yet, the daily life of dancers remains something of a mystery. Those who express themselves primarily with their bodies, who often find refuge in the routine of physical work or, on the contrary, blossom when allowing their feelings pour forth before an audience... We'd like to hear their side of the story for once. There were five of us learning ballet in the hope of making a career of it. In late May 1997, we danced our first ballet together. It's with archive footage of this event – found on an old, stashed-away video cassette – that this film begins. This footage was the departure point of the project. The years have passed and I'd like to know what's become of the others. All 4 of them have evidently become professional dancers. I will go off to meet them, and they will tell me what life is like as a dancer.
What is it to be a dancer? Why this choice of life? Films about dance... we've seen plenty! Yet, the daily life of dancers remains something of a mystery. Those who express themselves primarily with their bodies, who often find refuge in the routine of physical work or, on the contrary, blossom when allowing their feelings pour forth before an audience... We'd like to hear their side of the story for once. There were five of us learning ballet in the hope of making a career of it. In late May 1997, we danced our first ballet together. It's with archive footage of this event – found on an old, stashed-away video cassette – that this film begins. This footage was the departure point of the project. The years have passed and I'd like to know what's become of the others. All 4 of them have evidently become professional dancers. I will go off to meet them, and they will tell me what life is like as a dancer.