What It's About:

This exhilarating documentary profiles the turbulent life and times of the landmark, tremendously influential dance company Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, from its conception by Russian exiles in the '30s to its final curtain in 1962. In interviews with dancers, stage managers, and others, we see how the troupe drew luminaries like Matisse and Dali, Balanchine and Alicia Markova into its orbit, while coping with acrimonious, behind-the-scenes power struggles.

Why I Love It:

Geller and Goldfine's enthralling, transporting portrait of the epoch-defining institution pirouettes with some of dance history's biggest legends, including surviving alumni Yvonne Chouteau, Raven Wilkinson, Marc Platt, and others. Gradually, through their nostalgic, often gossipy reminiscences and the directors' own meticulously assembled archival footage, we come to see how the company's illustrious founders and members lived, loved, fought, and ultimately revolutionized the way the world viewed the art of movement. Even if you've never seen a ballet in your life, the effervescent "Ballets Russes" will sweep you right off your feet.