ONLY WHEN I DANCE

UK, 2009, 78 minutes, Colour.
Irlan Santos da Silva and his family, Isabela Coracy Santos and her family, Mariza Estrella.
Directed by Beadie Finzi.

A pleasingly straightforward documentary about ballet. It follows two young teenagers, a boy and a girl, during their training, the travel to overseas competition and the possibilities for their future careers.

The difference is that the boy and the girl are from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

We are introduced to Irwan and Isabella and their parents. Isabella's parents are poor but want the best for their daughter. Irwan's parents are also poor and live in one of the most dangerous drug-dealing and crime-centred areas of the city. (The film-makers had to get permission to film because of the dangers and liaise with the designated contact with the drug lords daily.) Irlan's father has come to terms with his son's choice of career (not the done thing for a boy in this part of Rio where the expectation is generally jail or a coffin). Both of the students are trained at the Centro de Dance, Rio, where the director, Mariza Estrella, takes a personal interest in their progress. However, since Isabella is black, she warns that ballet is an occupation for whites and the wealthy and she will find conscious and unconscious opposition – she does.

The film follows the familiar structure of following Irlan and Isabella for a year at home, school and dance centre. There is also the focus on finding the money for the expenses of the trip, extra jobs, grandmother's help, resorting to loan sharks.

Both Irlan and Isabella can certainnly dance. Irlan is particularly talented and his two performances for the competition in Lausanne are showcased, a classical piece and an intense modern dance based on Nijinsky and his breakdown. Isabella is able to travel to New York for a competition. Her style is more classical.

With the success of Billy Elliot on screen and on stage and the myriad films and television shows and competitions for dance, this film has an audience out there who will appreciate the story, the personalities, the struggles and the dancing.

1.The appeal of this documentary? Classical style? Storytelling, information, social comment?

2.The Rio de Janeiro locations? The Favelas, the poverty and the violence, the drug-dealing? The poorer sections of the city? The contrast with the affluent sections? The visuals of the city, its landscapes, the water? The mountains? The dance centre and the interiors?

3.The musical score, the classical score, the background music to the storytelling? The music for the performances?

4.The title, the focus on passion and intensity, talent? The central characters happy when they danced?

5.The social background, poverty in Rio de Janeiro? The prospect for young boys, jail or coffins? Drug-dealing? The lack of education? The problems for young girls, poverty? Race issues and the issue of ballet being for white and wealthy people? For black-skinned Brazilians?

6.The structure of the film, the introduction to the two central characters, intercutting their stories? The introduction to Mariza Estrella? Her school? The training, the preparation for the trip, finding the money, exams? Irlan’s travel to Switzerland and his success? Isabela’s travel to New York and her lack of success? Irlan present? The return, the prospects for Irlan in the American ballet theatre? The prospects for Isabela and her teaching at home?

7.Irlan’s story, his love of dance from an early age, going to school, dance school, the hard work, not having friends? The school scenes? The teacher, the exams, the lack of discipline, need for concentration? His travelling to the dance school – and the various scenes of training? At home, his love for his parents? His father and the comments about expectations of a boy, his accepting his son’s career, the tattoo? His mother, the comments about dancing, her meeting her husband dancing? The Brazilian tradition? His preparation for travel? The finding of the money? Packing, going to Switzerland?

8.Irlan in Switzerland, Mariza? The contrast with Switzerland and the snow? The preparation, his classical dance, his winning a place in the finalists? His joy? His contemporary dance, Nijinsky? His winning a scholarship? His return home, the decision to go to America, farewelling his parents? The postscript of their being alone at home with each other, proud of their son?

9.Isabela, at home, at school, the dancing? Her parents and the raising of the money, the interviews with Mariza, the grandmother and the loan sharks? Isabela going to New York? Seeing the doctor, the injuries to her foot? The remedies? Her performance, not getting in the finalists? Her performance with the group, third prize, her disappointment, home?

10.The farewell party for Irlan, everybody present, the speeches, the gifts? Mariza and her speech?

11.The discussions with Isabela, her parents, the race issue? Isabela seen instructing the younger dancers?

12.The popularity of dance in the modern world, in all cultures? The contribution of film, theatre and television? The emphasis on talent, passion and fulfilling one’s talent?