Bringing Balanchine Back

Documentary on The New York City Ballet

Bringing Balanchine Back on Sky Arts

"In ballet a complicated story is impossible to tell... we can't dance synonyms." George Balanchine.

In this country, actor Kevin Kline is probably still best remembered for his role in the mid-80s comedy A Fish Called Wanda, but in America, he is known equally well for his stage work and a certain fondness for ballet. Here, he narrates this revealing profile of the New York City Ballet, the company George Balanchine created and ran until his death in 1983, as the company travels to the legendary Maryinsky Theatre in St Petersburg to mark the 100th anniversary of Balanchine's birth.

Balanchine was born in Russia but worked largely in America, and despite his four hundred-plus works and worldwide acclaim, he was never officially welcomed to Russia on his return. This documentary redresses the balance with a look at how his spirit lives on in the company he created, features great performance footage and behind-the-scenes access and demonstrates how social and political barriers fall in the face of the universal language of dance albeit one without synonyms

You might also like to know that Bringing Balanchine Back is the subject of a nomination and special screening at the Savannah Film Festival, in Georgia, USA.