Ballerina (1966 film)
Encyclopedia
Ballerina is the story of a young girl Mette Sorensen (played by Mette Hønningen) who aspires to be a dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet
, against the wishes of her mother but with the support of her musician father and her mentor, the famous ballerina Kirsten Holm (played by Kirsten Simone
).
The story opens with Mette greeting Kirsten at the airport following the latter's return from a successful dance tour. They ride into the city together where Kirsten notices that Mette is slightly down-hearted about her own progress at ballet school. She soon gathers from the Ballet Master, and Madame Karova, Mette's teacher, that all is not well and Mette is not showing the promise she had originally displayed. The audience then learns that Mette's mother is against her pursuing a career as a ballerina, wanting her instead to settle down with her boyfriend Sven.
With Kirsten's backing, Mette secures a place at the Royal Danish ballet ('the company') and takes a small, solo part in Swan Lake
, in which she excels. Kirsten is then asked to go to London at short notice, leaving the Ballet Master without a female lead soloist for Coppelia
. Kirsten recommends Mette for the part. The remaining part of the film follows Mette's rehearsals and the various ups and downs on the path towards the finale of Coppelia and her arrival as the company's newest star. A young Jenny Agutter
also stars as a pupil at the ballet school who turns to Mette for guidance and mentorship.
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
, against the wishes of her mother but with the support of her musician father and her mentor, the famous ballerina Kirsten Holm (played by Kirsten Simone
Kirsten Simone
Kirsten Simone is a former Danish ballerina. She studied at the Royal Danish Ballet School with Vera Volkova and joined the Royal Danish Ballet Company in 1952. She became their first soloist in 1966. She created roles in Flemming Flindt's The Three Musketeers , von Rosen's Don Juan and Harald...
).
The story opens with Mette greeting Kirsten at the airport following the latter's return from a successful dance tour. They ride into the city together where Kirsten notices that Mette is slightly down-hearted about her own progress at ballet school. She soon gathers from the Ballet Master, and Madame Karova, Mette's teacher, that all is not well and Mette is not showing the promise she had originally displayed. The audience then learns that Mette's mother is against her pursuing a career as a ballerina, wanting her instead to settle down with her boyfriend Sven.
With Kirsten's backing, Mette secures a place at the Royal Danish ballet ('the company') and takes a small, solo part in Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, in which she excels. Kirsten is then asked to go to London at short notice, leaving the Ballet Master without a female lead soloist for Coppelia
Coppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
. Kirsten recommends Mette for the part. The remaining part of the film follows Mette's rehearsals and the various ups and downs on the path towards the finale of Coppelia and her arrival as the company's newest star. A young Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
also stars as a pupil at the ballet school who turns to Mette for guidance and mentorship.