ETOILES: DANCERS OF THE PARIS OPERA BALLET celebrates the legacy one of the best ballet companies in the world by weaving together rehearsals, tour snapshots and performances of classical ballets such as Swan Lake and La Sylphide, as well as contemporary works such as Maurice Bejart's Ninth Symphony, Jiri Kylian's Doux Mensonge (Sweet Lies) and Pierre Darde's Orison. Celebrated filmmaker Nils Tavernier endeavors to understand the psychology of dance by talking candidly with some of the biggest stars in dance today. The film also features interviews with the dancers who explain how and why they endure the emotional and physical hardships of their profession in their intense drive to be on stage.

Etoiles: Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet

Once upon a time there was a kingdom where dancing was forbidden by a tyrant king. Defying the edict of her father, the Princess Aurore continues to dance, for the amusement of herself and brother, Solal. With the kingdom virtually bankrupt, the King has no choice but to marry his daughter to a wealthy prince. As preparations are made for a ball that will set the seal on the marriage, the princess discovers that she is in love.

Aurore

Between 1917 and 1962, Pablo Picasso was involved in creating the designs for nine ballets including 'Parade', 'Pulcinella' and 'L'Apres-midi d'un Faune', in collaboration with such artists as Jean Cocteau, Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, Leonide Massine and Vaslav Nijinsky. Picasso, a native of Andalusia, also created the sets and costumes for the very Spanish ballet, 'Le Tricorne' ('The Three-Cornered Hat'). This release features the entire ballet along with a documentary which traces the story of Picasso's involvement with designs for ballet.