Original subtitles

(orchestral music)

(projector clicking)

(tapping)

(pensive music)

♪

♪

(phone ringing)

♪

Mom?

I don't think I quite know what I got myself into.

Yeah, I know. So that's what's difficult.

It's like 22 dancers are gonna get there on Wednesday

and the first rehearsal day is Thursday,

so it's just whether or not the dancers can get together.

I don't know, I think maybe I'm...

trying to do too much.

Yeah, I know.

Dancing with people that we've never danced with.

Fifteen minute rehearsals with the orchestra.

I'm gonna have to meet with the stage manager,

I'm gonna have to meet with the dressing rooms.

I have to make sure all the costumes are ready.

Fifteen different ballets, pretty pas de deux,

two orchestra rehearsals, physical therapists.

A list of the dancers, a set of rentals,

getting them there.

Are you excited?

Yeah. A very big deal.

First I was kind of scared to say yes.

New voices, day of the show.

That piece, really tricky.

(voice layering)

Wardrobe... But I'm hoping...

Yeah, I know. Supposed to be there...

Possible... Tonight.

And then having to dance well on top of that.

(whining)

No, the problem is is we don't have, like, any time.

(mellow orchestral music)

♪

(zipping)

♪

Growing up, ballet was my least favorite.

I was always trying to get out of my ballet classes.

I'd tell my mom, "Oh, I feel sick and I can't do ballet."

And she'd say, "Oh, okay,

well, then you can't do your jazz classes."

Then I'd be like, "Oh, I'm all of a sudden

feeling much better."

I mean, I'm glad she did that

'cause I never would be where I am today.

♪

When I was asked to curate a show

at the Los Angeles Music Center,

I jumped at the opportunity.

♪

They gave me the freedom to choose the dancers,

the pieces,

the choreographers that I wanted to highlight.

♪

I wanted to put together a program that shows

that ballet isn't just pink tights and a tutu.

♪

Come on.

But I've never done anything like this before,

so it's way out of my comfort zone.

♪

(bright music)

♪

-My craft is all about the stuff.

Stuff.

-I wanted to start BalletNOW off

from the beginning

with a nontypical piece,

and so I'm starting it with a duet

with Bill Irwin.

He's this extraordinary clown and actor,

but he also is a dancer.

-I am going to get the password for the WiFi.

Okay.

-And I shall cause a stir in the hallway.

Okay.

You would never go to a ballet evening

and see a piece with a clown and a ballerina.

That just doesn't happen.

And that's what I thought was so interesting

about our piece

and what I think is gonna

really make BalletNOW

something special.

I don't want to do ballet yet.

I'm doing it too early.

(making comical sounds)

This is a ballet show, but it's not...

just a ballet show.

And this duet with Tiler,

it's about the abstract...

old baggy pants comedian

and ballerina.

It's about different kinds of music

and movement from our genres.

-And then you always give a little, like, thing

to your hat.

The very first day I'd teach him phrases

and then I would try to imitate him, you know,

to see if I could get some of his clowning.

-Now move.

So it's kind of starting from there

and then it finishes there.

-So...

(making comical sounds)

-Can you hold this for one second?

(exhales)

Sometimes gags fit

and sometimes they're--

make you laugh and they're good gags

but they don't--

it doesn't sit within a story.

Could you crank me up again?

Yes.

So I've been working to really bring my shtick

to a place where it really fits with her shtick,

and I hope it goes well.

So I am a little nervous,

but for me if I'm not nervous,

it makes me very nervous.

(Sylvan Esso, "Just Dancing")

-Oh! Oh my gosh, every time.

Bill is all fun and games until he's not.

-Five... -What are we doing?

-And since we don't have much time

for these performances,

there was a lot of stress happening there.

Fired.

Me.

I'm gonna get it right this time.

-I got you.

-♪ Just dancing ♪

♪ I'm fakin' it before I even touch the skin ♪♪

♪

-First of all, I think that I can...

on the second one,

I think I come up too soon,

and then we have too much music.

-Okay. -I don't think an evening

of ballet would be complete

without a romantic pas de deux

between a ballerina and her partner.

So I do this,

and then if there's a way

where I can do a slower turn.

-Do you want to push off? -Yeah.

-Or do you want me to give you a little...

-Well, let me see.

For this reason, I chose "Carousel,"

and it's one of, I believe,

the most romantic pas de deux there is.

-So, you want to just walk through

from the beginning?

(orchestral music)

♪

-It's the first time the young girl

is with this very handsome man,

and she's finding love,

falling very fast,

and it's kind of scary for her,

and he's basically in control of the whole thing.

♪

An amazing partner has to know your steps and his steps.

He has to know your choreography

to be able to anticipate what you're gonna do.

And with Zach, I can kind of do whatever,

meaning, like, I know I can trust him.

♪

I can really go out there and be free and dance,

and I know he'll get me no matter what

because he's really in the moment with me.

♪

Plus, he's kind of cute.

(laughing)

♪

I don't often get to dance in California,

but it's where I grew up

and it's where my family is.

♪

So to have the performances here

is a really big deal for me.

♪

-Where's your ballet...

-Attire? -...shoes and...?

-Well, I've been in them all day.

This is the first chance I've gotten

to be in normal clothes.

-I gotcha.

Tonight I have "Fancy Free."

Then I have, uh, "Stars and Stripes," I think.

Hopefully that's all I have left.

I don't--or I might not be walking out of here.

-Okay. -All right.

We'll see you later, honey.

-I love you.

Here.

(laughing)

-When did I know she was good?

From the very beginning.

(piano music)

She would go to her mother's dance studio

and watch,

and then before you knew it,

she was up doing it.

♪

-She was like a three-year-old

in an adult body.

She just had movement

from the very, very beginning.

♪

You just knew that she was very different.

♪

And the hardest thing was knowing

that someone was that talented

and there was nothing where we lived in Bakersfield

to let her train and to get better.

♪

-My daughter saw right away

that she couldn't give her

the kind of training

that she needed.

I took her to classes

in Los Angeles.

-Honestly, I spent more time with my grandmother

than I did my mom growing up

because I was with her in the car.

My grandmother literally drove me three hours

to dance and three hours back.

I'd be at dance from three until ten at night,

and then we would drive home

four or five days a week

for six years of my life.

♪

Now that I think about it,

I don't know how she did it.

♪

(funky music)

♪

-Yeah, I have clothes to put on.

-Okay, great. -Yeah.

No, I'm gonna do it in this.

♪

When I think about showing how cool dance is,

one of the first names that pops in my head

is Michelle Dorrance.

She's a tap genius

and I think she's elevated tap

to another, like, status basically.

(tapping)

-Yeah.

-There we go. -Ah.

-Michelle, she has this amazing ability

to put together sounds that you've never heard

with different forms of dance,

and that's exactly what our piece "123456" is.

-Hey. -Hey!

-How you doin'? -It's nice to meet you.

-Virgil, hi, I'm Michelle.

-Hi Michelle, nice to meet you.

-Our piece, it's with a hip hop dancer,

two tap dancers, and then a ballerina,

and it's about how we are gonna interact

with each other.

-Today I think we should just run the structure.

-Yeah. -Except the things

that you'll have to practice full out

are anything rhythmic like clapping patterns

and things like that.

The piece is largely collaborative.

Inside of it, every dancer has the opportunity

to both improvise and choreograph segments,

and then there are a few things

that I force everyone to do,

which is kind of fun.

(rhythmic clapping)

Now, if you guys can hold that,

you might be fine.

For us, it just-- hold onto it.

-Yeah, but then I have to go the other way.

-No, we're gonna try that first.

But, yeah, that means you're half done.

-I'm lost too. -Yeah, I know, I know.

-I think the biggest challenge with "123456"

is that we are the score,

we are making the music.

And so, you know, clapping to them

is very natural,

and to me and Virgil,

I mean, we're, like, so far lost with that.

It's, like, frightening.

-See, I, like, love clapping

and I love counter rhythms

and, like, I've never had a problem.

The first time I did it with Byron earlier,

it was a disaster.

So, yeah, so what you guys have to do

is lock the hell in.

-Okay. -Yeah, okay.

-When we were looking for the hip hopper

in this piece,

we wanted somebody who was very versatile,

and Virgil's just amazing.

He's excited to partner me

and to teach me his vocabulary.

Yeah, teach me some stuff.

-Yeah, yeah.

'Cause you're all ready to do this.

-Yeah, that's just-- I don't know...

-I just kind of got... -Yeah.

-He'll do something crazy and then I'll do it en pointe.

(tapping)

-Yeah!

This type of event

shows that they're being open

to a lot of different styles and genres of dance

and not strictly ballet.

And it's important because it gives everyone

an opportunity to showcase their work

and step outside their box.

-Um, try it.

One, two, three, four, five, it's just two.

One, two, three, four, five...

The piece I helped design

the skeleton of the work

and then everyone gets to insert

a little bit of themselves,

and then simultaneously has to collaborate

with something they're less comfortable with.

(rhythmic clapping)

And I think that that brings out

really interesting work.

(rhythmic clapping)

This is it right here.

-One, two, three, four, five, six.

-Okay, uh, okay.

Is everyone--inside your head,

you feel good for tomorrow? Okay.

This is fun, yeah.

Now that we kind of started, I'm, like, really excited.

-Oh, come on!

(mellow music)

♪

(singing)

-And then I get silence, the thing...

-Thing, and then--yeah, I think that seems right.

-Something like that, yeah. -Mm-hm, okay.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

The New York City Ballet,

we actually aren't really supposed

to talk to the conductors.

Balanchine kind of just wanted them

to do their thing,

and then we would just kind of deal with the tempo.

So I've never really been in contact

with a conductor where he's asking me,

"Okay, what do you think about this?"

and singing me some of the pieces,

and letting me hear the tempos.

So this was a first.

It's all kind of a first.

And if we can do it really fast at the end,

-I'd really like that. -Okay, yeah.

When the piano comes...

Um, the very, very end.

Okay.

(singing)

-Here. -Uh huh.

(singing)

And it can keep getting faster.

(singing)

-Cool.

(singing)

Yeah.

♪

(piano music)

-So I've been cueing off at nine and seventeen,

and I'll play the high register part right.

♪

(singing)

Yes.

♪

-That's what we mean. -Yeah.

In the dance world, it's so run by men.

Most directors are male,

most choreographers are male.

♪

So it feels very important

to be a woman

and be in charge of this gig.

-Okay, that's great.

-Let's start from the beginning, right,

and just don't kill yourselves

because you guys gotta do "Allegro."

So just--it's a mark, it's to be clean,

so clean arms and feet.

♪

I think "In Creases" was one of the first pieces

that I thought, "Okay, this has to be on the program."

Somewhat faster, Rachel, on your turns.

♪

There we go.

I wanted a group ensemble

and I wanted to showcase younger dancers

who had never really danced this piece before

but I knew they had it in them.

Spot.

That's right.

♪

-In our usual dancing season,

you have the full cast

for, like, a solid chunk of time,

like, you know, three weeks, and then you perform it.

This was kind of like

everybody learned it on their own

and now we're coming together for the first time full cast,

and so there's, like, added intensity,

borderline anxiety,

like, you just kind of feel it.

♪

Rachel, just in the solo,

all the steps are good.

Just more accent.

So when you reach, like, reach.

I mean, développé, développé.

(imitating music)

Yeah, but, you know what I mean,

like, more with the upper body, yeah.

I definitely think

that they are feeling a lot of pressure

but also I think nervous energy is exciting

if it doesn't get in the way.

You can be so nervous that you just lose it onstage

or it can bring this excitement to the piece

that you can't get from something

that's so well rehearsed.

Seven, eight.

One, two, three.

Okay, again.

Sorry.

(imitating music)

The first one's together, the second one should--

all of you groups should be together.

Okay, that's not happening.

-It's like this? -It was my fault.

-I was keeping her square. -Square.

-These are roles that I'm dancing

that I wouldn't typically dance with the company,

and I'm in this atmosphere

of such crazy talent that...

I don't want to look like the little kid in the back.

(tense music)

And I think everybody has a very similar mentality.

-And one, two, three, four, five--

See, there. Maybe doing a little too much.

Yeah, okay, let's try it one more time.

♪

Ready?

The sense in the room

is that everybody needs to step up their game.

We go one, two, three, four...

But also, I think I'm definitely taking a huge risk

in putting "In Creases" on the program

just because they've never done this piece before.

Ready, five, six, seven,

and one, two, three...

♪

I think we're gonna pull this off.

I mean...

I hope so.

-Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

Your call is half hour.

Call is half hour.

(woman continues talking in background)

♪

(rhythmic clapping)

-I feel like I have never learned that.

-Yeah, so...

(rhythmic clapping)

-So there's three at the end?

-There's two pickups.

-I always feel like I'm a very musical ballerina,

but when I get in a room with Michelle,

I all of a sudden feel like I'm not musical at all...

(rhythmic clapping)

...because the way she hears the beats

are just unlike anything that I've ever heard.

(rhythmic clapping)

-Woo!

-We all have a set of different skill sets.

(rhythmic clapping)

And I think just getting us together

and on the same page is gonna be the--

like, the trickiest part of the whole piece.

Oh!

-Okay.

(imitating rhythm)

Yeah, you know it.

You know better, you know that.

I'm not worried, you know that.

-What should we do?

-We should go from the top. -Okay.

-Putting a piece together in a short time for dancers,

that's normal,

but with different styles,

trying to create something extraordinary and different,

that's something that's unique and challenging.

(rhythmic clapping)

(tapping)

-One, two, three, four, five, six.

-One, two, three, four, five, six.

-Oh! -Oh!

-I can't even do it.

I can't even do it here.

Let's do the beginning one more time.

Okay, this is gross, all right.

-Yeah, I have a half an hour right now,

and then I start...

I have three more ballets

-and then the interview. -Right.

-I think I have an interview at some point.

I'm just gonna walk over now, have a second,

I'll put my stuff in my dressing room,

and then hopefully eat something.

Do you have anything, Mom?

-They had bananas and apples in there for you

they brought to you.

-I didn't get them.

-Nice apples.

-Do you need me to... -No, no.

We just go over now

'cause I have to be there.

You're gonna walk with me?

-Do you want 'em? -Mm-hm.

-You really need food, right? -Mm-hm.

(soft orchestral music)

♪

Christopher Wheeldon's known for making

extremely hard pas de deux.

His partnering is really difficult.

You just have to kind of trust your partner

with everything

because if you're a little off,

you can really end up on the floor.

♪

(exclaiming)

♪

♪

There's always things in this pas de deux

that can go wrong.

So I guess that's what's exciting and scary

at the same time.

♪

Like, just a little bit upstage of the center.

(indistinct comments)

All right, now I don't even know if I have time.

I might just have to go straight to the rehearsal room.

What time is it?

Oh, I have 15 min-- is that right?

-No, this is fast.

-Tell me a little bit about

what were the main ideas

that were in your mind

when this was broached to you.

-I kind of just really made it a point

to find something for everybody

and also kind of emphasize the new voices of today

that I think, like, a younger generation

is definitely very kind of in tune with.

-So is that something you're putting together,

you're responsible for getting it rehearsed

and in shape?

I'm kind of responsible for, like,

it all being rehearsed, I think, and together.

-So also for you, that's an example

of contemporary ballerina

going way out of her usual comfort zone.

-Yeah, definitely.

You know, I have a lot of ideas,

and to be able to put something together

is really kind of just very exciting and stressful.

I mean, I'm definitely, like, a little nervous,

but I'm really excited.

I think we've put together some amazing programs

that have something for everybody.

And, um, yeah, so we just have to hope

that everything goes well.

And we'll be up on the fourth floor.

This is Nicole. Have you met Bill?

-The stage manager. -Hi Nicole.

-So she's--we're gonna give her all the cues right now

so she can start partying.

Thanks for everything.

Okay, Nicole, so first what happens

is the mu--wait.

Curtain comes up, yes.

-Curtain, yeah, curtain goes up.

-Curtain goes up, 'cause this is opening.

-Right. -Curtain goes up

and lights are already there,

and the music starts and we're offstage.

"Time It Was," a lot of the comedic timing

is very dependent on the orchestra.

Just the little, you know, drum roll and the ratchet,

it has to be just so perfectly timed.

And we have a stage manager who doesn't know the pieces,

so we're gonna have to go through cues,

especially the piece with Bill and I,

there's so many.

And the metronome has to come in, like, right on the--

you know, we jump and when we land.

Bump.

-Do you want it on the land or on the step?

-No, on the step.

That's something that takes a lot of rehearsal,

and we just don't really have that time.

But hopefully once we get onstage

with the orchestra,

then it will just kind of all come together.

Hopefully.

(mellow music)

♪

We have, like, 15 minute rehearsals.

-Right. -And it's not enough time

to do the amount of ballets that we have to do.

-Right, and if... -And because there's

different casts...

it was like, okay,

I guess each rehearsal gets 15 minutes.

And, you know, the other thing is

that he will be in the audience,

he'll be at the table...

-So we can just shout at you.

-"Brandon!" -Yeah, no, yeah.

-If there's something wrong... -You can call from the stage.

-Yeah, no, it's no problem.

So I don't actually know--

I'm curious about the history behind this piece,

'cause I'm not very-- this is a new piece to me.

Well...

this is not the right piece.

-Time out, what? -Is that what you've had?

-This is what Bill sent me.

(laughing)

-That's not our pas de deux.

Wait, am I in that?

-Are you playing bass?

-This is... -No.

-I asked him for a video.

When I told him I was reaching out

to the original designer, he said,

"Oh, here's a video that will help you

better understand the piece."

-What was he thinking? -Yeah, I don't know.

-Maybe it was just for the look.

-Can you send it to him? -Yeah.

I just have to find it.

-Is there still the ukulele

and that whole, like, musician thing?

-No. -He gave me specific notes

on the ukulele and, like, some kind of instrumentation.

So you should definitely talk.

-Wait, for real? -Yeah, yeah, yeah.

(tense music)

No, that's not it at all,

it's just me and Bill.

-Well, it's good we're talking about it then.

Yeah.

♪

-Mm...

♪

Was there anything that you saw

that you think that--

like "Man I Love," was it good?

Uh huh, yeah.

Looked really good.

♪

How do the (mumbles) look?

♪

-Tell the boys to make sure they tuck their shirts in,

because they all came out.

♪

Yeah.

♪

-You must be hungry.

You never eat the whole sandwich.

(laughing)

-I just did literally six ballets.

-I know.

♪

Go with the flow. Just dance.

(laughing)

♪

I'm nervous that I'm trying to do too much

and I'm just hoping that

it all doesn't come crashing down.

I'm feeling so tight down here,

like, it's kind of hurting to walk.

-Okay, all right.

-I feel like they kind of smell too.

I'm sorry, they've been in shoes...

-Oh, I think I'm used to that.

-Okay.

♪

-All right.

♪

-Everything hurts.

♪

My feet are hurting,

my back is hurting.

-Here. Hand under your head.

-I think I have, like, a pulled inner thigh.

-Now let's stretch.

♪

-I don't know if it's the stress...

-Exhale and stretch.

♪

-...but I feel sick to my stomach.

♪

-We should do that again.

-The up was really good.

-I just feel so low.

Like at the--I'm, like, all the way down here.

-But you have to to get my foot on the floor.

-I know, but I should be-- No, no, when I catch you.

-I think you should be like that.

-But I'm really low. -Yeah.

-What I'm saying is I'm, like, down here.

-No, I think that's right.

-Can we try it again?

-You're not Nilas's height.

That's the photo you've seen.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

-Can we just try it again? -Okay.

(laughing)

I'm sorry.

It's just because, like,

you aren't like this at all,

-I can't get-- -I'm still gonna do that.

Oh no.

Yeah!

Did I not get high enough?

-Mm-mm. -Okay.

-I don't think you're jumping as much now.

Sorry.

-I need energy. -But you're sick though,

so you get a free pass.

-Okay, let's skip that.

We did that.

♪

(whining)

♪

I don't feel like this is gonna be good.

(rhythmic clapping)

-One, two, three, four, five, six.

(tapping)

-Corner!

♪

♪

(shrieking, laughing)

♪

All the choreography for "123456"

is centered around this piece of wood

that we use to make the music and rhythms of the dance.

That floor thing is-- I am slipping like crazy.

-Yeah. -I don't know what I'm gonna...

-It'll help, Slip NoMor will change the game.

-For us too, you have to know. -You like--for that too?

-No, for--this is like...

-I was, like, spinning on my butt.

(rhythmic clapping)

Without some sort of coating,

this surface is like...

any dancer's worst nightmare.

(tapping)

-Okay, let's remember

to try Slip NoMor for tomorrow.

-Right.

(tapping)

-Then...

-Wait, I must be two then.

Am I before you guys?

-Oh, she is.

(counting noise)

-Uh, uh, us?

-No way. -I don't know.

-Uh, uh, you.

-We had to work through so many complicated things

with "123456."

Fusing together the different styles,

then getting together the timing.

And it's just ridiculous that the thing

that we're stuck on is the ending,

which really isn't that complicated.

It's literally four claps, a turn, and a finish.

But we're really struggling with it.

(tapping)

-One, two, three... -No, no, we can't do that.

Let's go from my solo.

Five, six...

(vocalizing rhythm)

(whimper)

(laughing)

Are you okay?

You're gonna feel great. You're gonna sleep tonight

and your stomach's gonna feel better

and you're gonna be amazing in everything.

-Is it gonna be amazing? -No, yeah, totally.

-No, Tiler, you're gonna--

you're a stage beast.

-Woo! -Don't stress.

If you ... up, ... up gigantic

and turn it into a solo, okay?

We're gonna get it together.

In a day.

♪

I go off of your other leg.

(tapping)

♪

It's a mess.

(indistinct chatter)

It always comes together at the end.

♪

Do you know that you sent the wrong video

to the lighting guy?

-He was like-- -What'd I send?

-You sent him you, Michelle, and Kate.

There's only just me and Bill.

There's nobody else in our piece.

-How did I do that? -Okay.

So how would that go if we do that?

-Well, just like you were talking about yesterday...

-So I--oh, I have the hat.

-Chaînés... -Very in.

(soft music)

♪

Hope I remember all of this on the shows.

I feel like I have so much choreography

in my head right now that I'm like

getting them a little mixed up.

♪

Memory full.

♪

(knocking)

-Look, I have someone that wants to meet you.

Oh, Cali, come here.

-Her name is Alexa.

This is Tiler Peck.

-Hi.

Is that a Barbie?

-Yeah.

-Can I see it?

-Does the Barbie have a name?

-The Barbie has a name?

What's the Barbie's name?

-Tiler.

-You gave her my name?

Aw...

♪

My arm really hurts from that lift in "Fancy,"

you know where I go over backwards

and I have to hold on and then go like this?

Oh my God, I feel like it's, like,

ripping my shoulder out.

-Grandma really has a dress she wants--

something she wants you to see.

-Okay, I don't have time right now.

-Okay. -I have to go to rehearsal.

-Well, he said--you want your turkey sandwich?

-I ate it already.

I ate it while I was out there watching.

Is there a pin somewhere?

No.

(elevator dings)

Mom, did you have one or no?

That's okay, I just need a pin.

Will somebody find a pin?

Hey, so you know before the double turn

of the arabesque?

Can we go there because you guys

weren't spaced correctly.

Also, the timing just seemed a little bit off.

It's hard because "In Creases" I'm not dancing in,

so in a way I feel like it's out of my control.

But it's my responsibility

to show Justin Peck's choreography

in the best light.

(piano music)

I can rehearse them

and I can try to give them notes as best as I can,

but once they get out there, I kind of just hope

and pray that it goes well.

♪

But really, once they're out there,

it's up to them.

♪

That's good.

Okay, thank you.

Then the other thing is, front line,

are you guys supposed to be together?

-Yes. -Yeah, that wasn't together.

Okay, let's do that.

Okay, you make sure they're together,

and I'm gonna get in my tutu.

-Oh, you have five minutes.

-Uh huh. -Five minutes to tutu.

(tense music)

It's hard to describe

what she brings to the table.

But for her to take on

the magnitude of being the dancer,

being the curator,

assembling the dancers,

knowing who should be doing what,

and then she'll put down the clipboard

and run in and start dancing.

(rhythmic clapping)

It's overwhelming.

♪

-Ah!

Bella?

Hey girl, did you get the "Red Angels" costumes?

Do they not fit?

-No, it's just, like, for a child.

-Did you try any on? -It's not going to be cute. No.

-You try that one on first.

Then I'll help you put the jacket on

when you sit down.

Now here, which I do that as quick as possible.

-Should we do that again? -Yeah, let's do it.

Yeah.

♪

Hi, I'm Tiler. I don't think I met you.

-Shana, hi.

-Did you put these in the right place?

-You have that break there.

-I think it was just to give me, like, some lunch.

-I know.

♪

It seemed like it was two counts too early,

so let's just try it again.

♪

-Tiler. -We're ready.

♪

(tapping)

-Oh! -One, two, three, four,

five, six.

Oh, sorry, guys!

(unintelligible conversation)

♪

-Have you seen the sailors?

-Are they not here?

Does that microphone work?

Should we go over that real fast?

Do we have, like, one second or no?

(intense rhythmic music)

♪

(rhythmic clapping)

♪

Let me check the schedule.

I have, like, a million things.

♪

-That was better, we'll just, like, play

when you have those two minutes between

your 17 pas de deux.

♪

(groaning)

♪

(exhales deeply)

♪

Cali, what are we gonna do with 139 emails, huh?

For this thing. What are we gonna do?

(chuckles)

(moody ambient music)

♪

Okay, I'm ready.

Okay, I don't know where I'm going, though.

-She's on the party list if she wants to come up.

I have her on the list, so...

-You got the F key?

-We're walking to this.

-Yeah, we're gonna go across the way.

♪

-I'll hang out with you while you do your press round.

-Thank you. -All right!

-All right, shall we get started?

-You may. -Okay.

-Do you want wine?

-Uh, water's good to start with.

All right.

Smile for our camera.

(thrum of conversation)

-Gorgeous, stunning, you're just like unbelievable.

♪

-So continue on with the reception,

and if you wanna talk to Tiler personally,

she'll be wandering around.

(conversational hum)

♪

-Great seeing you. -(giggling)

-Enjoy.

(flash popping)

-Thank you so much. -Thank you!

♪

Ahh!

-Clasp your hands. -Mm-hm.

-Okay, we'll get you over here.

Take a deep breath in and roll toward me.

(Tiler breathes deeply)

That's it there.

And again, roll toward me.

Okay. Inhale.

Exhale.

Roll and rest.

(bright rhythmic music)

♪

(soft piano music)

♪

-Good, just again from the rise.

♪

-Tensions are really high this morning.

Everybody feels like we don't have enough time

to get this done.

And in the middle of all this craziness,

Virgil comes up with the idea

that he's gonna teach everybody

a hip hop dance.

-So the first thing goes

one, two, and three, four...

five and six, kick seven,

eight, one, two, three.

-Yeah--one, two, three.

One of the guys asked me if I could show him some moves.

So the next thing you know,

all the other ballet dancers are behind me,

startin' doin' the same hip hop dance.

I'm like, okay, we got a big hip hop class now

with a bunch of ballet dancers.

(thumping hip hop music)

♪

-At first I just thought it was a huge distraction

and I thought the dancers need to focus

on the choreography that they're actually gonna dance.

(Future, "Wicked")

♪

-But it honestly couldn't have come

at a better time.

It really relaxed the dancers

and put them in a better mind space.

♪

Five, six, seven, and one and two,

and three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

♪

Tell me how long it's gonna be,

'cause I just have to be in costume in 20 minutes on stage.

♪

(indistinct PA announcement)

(overlapping conversations)

We're gonna make time.

We're gonna do the percussion thing

one more time.

-Does he have a monitor? -He does, yeah.

He was just saying he'd love to do it

one more time so it's perfect, yeah.

Good, so we're gonna do that half-step again.

Okay.

(sticks rhythmically tap rim)

-I think it's...

real short.

Like tikka-tikka-tikka.

-Okay.

(drumsticks rapidly tap rim)

-Yeah. That there, that's great.

(laughter)

-And after the second ratchet, when he does the head thing,

could it just be a little "bonk"?

-I couldn't even see it. -You couldn't see it, okay.

(ratcheting noise)

-Right here.

-So he grabs his neck and then...

-I could give it, I could give it.

-Okay, so here's the ratchet.

(ratcheting noise)

And...

(drum strike)

(laughter)

-Two minutes to the end of the ballet.

Oh, oh! She locked you out.

-Excuse me, can you hand me my "Who Cares?" costume, please?

Mom, "Who Cares?" the peach one.

"Who Cares?" All right.

Here you go.

-Look at-- -She's asking me if I'll--

-What is that? -I don't know,

I just took it.

-I can't. There's chocolate now on it.

-No, it was up there. -Yeah.

-I didn't put it up, it was from up there.

Not I.

-Can I have the actors on stage?

Tiler, if you're ready, can you come out?

-I knew when I was putting the schedule together

that our time constraint was so tight.

I just wanna make sure I get out to the front

before this starts.

(intense music)

♪

Because I think we're all a little, like,

"Oh my God, is this actually gonna come together?"

Guys, the pushes in the beginning

are still not together.

So we're gonna step six, coupé seven, back eight,

so we're together.

Okay, whenever you guys are ready.

(dramatic piano music)

Seven, eight...yes.

And the same time here.

♪

One, two, three, four, five, si--yes, much better.

Okay.

(atmospheric rhythmic music)

♪

Just--yeah.

Just be aware where your arms are.

Open, so you're not like this.

No, it's an actual lift.

-All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're moving on,

I need you to clear the stage, please.

-Just make sure your arm and your body go together.

♪

(music intensifies)

♪

Could we call wardrobe to the stage?

Wardrobe.

-Grab that part.

-Bella? Hey, girl, I just--

I have your headpiece to give you for tonight.

-For this run?

For--just as long as it's in the show,

that's all I care about.

♪

Could we do the Slip NoMor before this run?

-Why can't you do Slip NoMor right now?

-Well, they're just talking about the drying time...

-I didn't realize they wouldn't have, like,

a call earlier today.

Because, like, when we asked for it last night,

I thought it would be done by the time rehearsal started.

-What time is it?

Wait, what time is it now?

Because if we put it on now, we've got 20 minutes.

So, like, let's stop maybe talking about it and do it?

-We can rehearse this, like, over there,

while they're putting Slip NoMor.

Hey, guys, I'd love to do it now.

(music intensifies)

♪

(door closes)

(soft, urgent music)

Hey, do you have hairspray?

-Oh my God, I was just coming to get eyelash glue.

-I've got that. -You do?

-Yeah. -I don't have hairspray, ugh!

-Lauren? -Yeah?

-Hey, girl, do you have hairspray?

What do you want me to tell wardrobe when I call?

-I just want them to come do my straps.

♪

-Can I steal your hairspray too?

Uh, it's Lauren's that I stole.

-Wait, really? -Yeah.

No joke.

And Bella doesn't have any either, so.

-Wait, what? -Yeah.

-There. -Are you serious?

Okay, I'll bring it back.

♪

Okay.

(music intensifies)

♪

(tapping)

(musicians rehearsing)

Got it.

-Half hour, half hour.

(murmur of conversation)

(soft, urgent music)

-Three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

-One, two, three, four.

Three, two, three, four.

(humming to self)

♪

(sandpaper scratching)

♪

(indistinct conversations)

♪

-Three, two, three, four, five, six.

One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Two, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Three, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

-Are you guys set for places? -Yeah.

-All right. Places, ladies and gentlemen.

♪

(music builds)

♪

(music fades)

(rhythmic tapping)

(laughter)

(tapping resumes)

(applause)

(laughter)

(rhythmic tapping)

(laughter)

(rhythmic tapping)

(laughter)

(rhythmic tapping)

(laughter)

(rhythmic tapping)

(laughter)

(rhythmic tapping)

(laughter)

(rhythmic tapping)

(applause)

(drum flourish)

(laughter)

(ratcheting noise)

(laughter)

(drum strike)

(laughter)

(extended drum flourish)

(applause)

(rhythmic tapping)

(tapping slows, strings plucked)

♪

(soft string music)

♪

(applause)

(rhythmic tapping)

(cheers, applause)

-I wasn't ready for you.

-I'm gonna need you to leave, guys,

in like literally one second.

(tense music)

(door slams)

(sharp exhalation)

Oh my God.

I'm sweating profusely.

♪

My earrings, two gold ones to get out.

♪

Is that crazy?

-I think you have another...

-I think I have another one next.

♪

(serene music)

♪

(music builds)

♪

(applause)

♪

(dark rhythmic music)

♪

(applause)

♪

-Okay, guys, places, please, places.

(murmur of audience)

(strident piano music)

♪

♪

(applause)

(applause, cheers)

-We did it!

-Oh my God. -We did it.

(applause echoing)

(exclaims)

(deep exhalation)

(bright rhythmic music)

♪

Can we make noise? Can they hear it?

-They can hear it a little bit, it'll be fine.

-That's the part I feel doesn't make any sound.

-Here. Hm.

(clapping, thumping floor)

-You're right. -Switch, yeah.

-It's hard to both put it down and support yourself.

(clapping, thumping)

-Five, everyone say "five."

-Like, say it? -Yep.

-Like, out loud?

-Say "five." -I got it.

-Do this one more time.

It was the sloppiest part.

-Yes, and I have to put a lip on.

-Okay. -And take my hair down.

And you have to change. We're fine.

(orchestra tuning up)

(soft urgent music)

♪

Where are my scissors?

(thumping, tapping)

♪

Go over that thing in the show one more time, ugh.

♪

Oh, ...

♪

-Ladies and gentlemen, places, please.

Places for "123456."

Places, please, places.

♪

-Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those

who trespassed against us.

Lord, we ask You to guide our ears,

guide our bodies to prosperity. Amen.

-Amen. -Love you, B.

Love you, Tiler. Love you, Virgil.

-Thank you guys. -This is gonna be fun.

-I'm getting a little emotional.

I gotta keep it together till after the show.

♪

-Stand by for the curtain.

♪

(rhythmic clapping)

(rhythmic tapping, thumping)

(rhythmic clapping)

(tapping)

(rhythmic clapping)

(in unison) One, two, three, four, five, six.

(rhythmic tapping)

(applause)

(rhythmic clapping)

(rhythmic tapping)

(in unison) Five!

(rhythmic clapping, tapping)

(in unison) One, two, three,

four, five, six.

(rhythmic thumping)

(cheers, applause)

(bright, upbeat music)

♪

(cheers, applause)

♪

-Really, it was so good.

You guys!

-We did it, we did it, we did it!

-Yeah!

You guys were dancing, it was just amazing.

You guys should be so happy.

Yeah!

I'm just so proud of all the dancers.

I feel like they danced better

than I've ever seen them dance before.

Thank you for dancing with me.

(overlapping chatter)

-Amazing. -So well curated.

Thank you! Thank you.

-Good job, good job.

-I thought it was so amazing.

(applause, cheers)

-BalletNOW was a gift to me on so many levels.

♪

(celebratory chatter)

You don't get opportunities like this every day,

especially as a woman.

Drinks, drinks!

(chatter, glasses clinking)

-To Tiler, congrats!

-Chug, chug, chug!

♪

-I hope this will inspire younger audiences.

♪

And I hope they left the theater

with more of an appreciation for this incredible art form.

♪

I think that was a good show!

♪

(Charlotte OC, "Medicine Man")

♪

-♪ Hot in the night, cold in the morning ♪

♪

♪ The spirit of life is calling my name ♪

♪

♪ The healer inside will pray for the lonely ♪

♪

♪ Remember the time you stole me away ♪

♪

♪ You didn't know me but once in my veins ♪

♪ You had a hold but nothing to say ♪

♪ You got it all now, the spirit alive

is calling my name ♪

♪

♪ I don't know what you do but it's making me better ♪

♪

♪ Can we lay down, lay down together? ♪

♪

♪ I wanna take you like a drug, can you take me to heaven? ♪

♪

♪ Can you love, can we love, can we love,

can we love forever? ♪

♪

♪ 'Cause I want you, I want you,

I want you, medicine man ♪

♪ Send me a sign, send me no warning ♪

♪

♪ I never know why my heart's on a chain ♪

♪

♪ You didn't know me but once in my veins ♪

♪ You had a hold but nothin' to say ♪

♪ You got it all now, the spirit alive

is calling my name ♪

♪

♪ I don't know what you do but it's making me better ♪

♪

♪ Can we lay down, lay down together? ♪

♪

♪ I wanna take you like a drug, can you take me to heaven? ♪

♪

♪ Can you love, can we love, can we love,

can we love forever? ♪

♪

♪ Why don't you, why don't you ♪

♪ Why don't you, medicine man ♪

♪ 'Cause I want you, I want you ♪

♪ I want you, medicine man ♪

♪ Oh, you got me in your loving arms ♪

♪ Oh, you got me in your loving arms ♪

♪ I don't know what you do but it's making me better ♪

♪

♪ When we lay down, lay down together ♪

♪ I wanna take you like a drug, can you take me to heaven? ♪

♪

♪ Can you love, can we love, can we love,

can we love forever? ♪

♪

♪ Why don't you, why don't you ♪

♪ Why don't you, medicine man ♪

♪ 'Cause I want you, I want you ♪

♪ I want you, medicine man ♪♪

♪

(film projector clicking)

(mellow music)

(bright music)