I haven't seen this film since seeing it in a shabby little cinema in London in 1965, as the second feature to Lady & the Tramp! But its wonderful, sentimental portrayal of a child's longing to be a great dancer has remained in my memory all these years. What's far more important, though, is that it captured fragments of dancing by the Royal Danish Ballet, one of the world's greatest companies, at one of their moments of glory (they're having another one now, in 2000!). Kirsten Simone, for example, was a little girl when the film was made and is now one of the company's greatest character dancers, still entrancing on stage as well as a dancer of the most impressive technical command. This film should be available to buy - ideally as a dvd, with a documentary, please. Disney, are you listening?
Review of Ballerina: Part 1
