Breaking Pointe
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Intensity, drama mark eye-opening ballet reality series.
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Based on 1 parent review
Drinking scenes in some episodes sends wrong message
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What's the Story?
BREAKING POINTE takes viewers to the rarely seen backstage of one of the country's most notable ballet companies, Salt Lake City's Ballet West, where cameras follow seven professional dancers through auditions, practices, and performances. There's Christiana, the company's prima ballerina, who's surrounded by younger dancers she knows would love to fill her shoes. Brothers Rex and Ronald are happy to be dancing together, but each finds that romantic relationships are tough in the dog-eat-dog world of competitive dance. Newcomer Beckanne struggles to navigate the precarious hierarchy among her peers now that she's landed a coveted spot with the troupe. Overseeing the whole process is artistic director Adam, a former dancer who's determined to groom the talent he sees in his company to take Ballet West to the prima spot among the country's studios.
Is It Any Good?
They may be beautiful and graceful, but there's nothing delicate about the subjects of this eye-opening reality series ... or the series itself, for that matter. Even if you already know a barre from a bar and the point of pointe shoes, you might be surprised at the intensity of this rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of the world of professional dance. In a place where your closest friends are also your biggest competition and fresh hopefuls are always gunning for your job, mental toughness can mean the difference between success and falling short of your goal.
Surprisingly, though, even within this tense climate, there's little of the overt nastiness and backbiting we've come to expect from reality shows among the cast, most of whom keep up friendly pretenses in mixed company and even go so far as to call out their competition for their skills. Ultimately Breaking Pointe is a thought-provoking, if intense, example of the positive side of reality entertainment: a series that shines a spotlight on regular people making their dreams come true through hard work, sacrifice, and dedication.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about following your dreams. Tweens: What are some of your goals in life? How do you intend to achieve them? What adversity have you already conquered on that path?
Tweens: What do you expect from your role models? How are you inspired by their example or advice? Have you ever been disappointed in the actions of someone you admired? How does that change your opinion of him/her and your desire to follow in his/her footsteps?
How does Breaking Pointe stack up to other reality shows you've seen? Do you think this marks a movement away from the controversial side of reality and toward a more inspirational one? Can shows like this one compete among flashier ones like Keeping Up with the Kardashians abd Jersey Shore?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 31, 2012
- Network: CW
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Arts and Dance, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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