The life of a professional dancer can be pretty grim. There is the risk of a career-ending injury that can happen in an instant. Working to make ends meet, one is likely to be waiting tables on New Year's Eve. The only way to let loose and have some fun is to go bowling, or so we perceive in Robert Altman's fine new film, The Company, a fictionalized portrait of Gerald Arpino's Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. And sometimes you have to dance in costumey hokum like Robert Desrosiers's Blue Snake.

But the rest of the dancing is quite good, and would be a great newcomer's introduction to Joffrey's eclectic repertory. Of course we would want longer sections of performance, not just 5-minute bites. On the other hand, the cinematic treatment of the works means that we can see something like White Widow (which suspends the soloist from two ropes hung from the flies) from directly overhead or close up, her feet skimming the deck.

The dancer's stories are just strong enough to hang the performances on, and no more.

posted: 9:11:39 AM