Angelina Ballerina: The Big Performance
By Tracy Moore,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Angelina and friends tackle preschool pressures with grace.

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What's the Story?
Angelina Ballerina: The Performance is a collection of five mini-episodes that show Angelina and her friends facing a variety of pressures and learning something along the way. In The Royal Banquet, Angelina (Finty Williams) and Miss Lilly (Judi Dench) are lost on the way to a performance for Queen Seraphina, and must find a way to keep their wits about them. Angelina: Mouse Detective features Angelina and her friends solving a neighborhood mystery with an unlikely solution. Angelina must learn to accept a new sibling's demand on her parents' energy and attention in Angelina's Baby Sister. In The Costume Ball, Angelina and her friend Alice learn that pretending to be an adult has its own consequences. And finally, in Miss Lilly is Leaving, they discover that rumors are not to be trusted.
Is It Any Good?
There's nary a quibble with this age-appropriate, positive preschooler fare. This particular collection of mini-episodes hits a jackpot of relatable scenarios with great lessons: a new sibling disrupting the household, imaginations carried away, getting lost on an important trip, but keeping one's cool. That the show nurtures a love for fine arts and the joy of a lively imagination in addition to the bounty here only adds to its appeal.
Kids who love the characters and dance will be especially engaged. Parents can appreciate an engaging, lesson-packed bit of entertainment that far surpasses what's out there in terms of relatable, gentle programming that doesn't assault the senses in the process, or outdo itself in cleverness.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of helping each other adapt to change. Has your family ever had big changes with a new family member or a big move? How did you prepare? How did everyone handle the changes?
When Angelina and Lilly are lost, they manage in part by keeping a positive attitude. Have you ever been lost or had to wait for a long time? How did you get through it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 24, 2005
- Cast: Finty Williams, Judi Dench
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Arts and Dance, Brothers and Sisters, Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Friendship
- Run time: 150 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: September 20, 2019
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