Tag Archives: ballerina

Burlesque has Nothing on Black Swan

A socialite is first and foremost a performer who lives to entertain and be entertained.  It isn’t talent that drives us, but mere stage presence that makes a socialite unforgettable.  As a teenager, I aspired to become a ballerina.  However, after realizing the immense competition and facing the fact that I couldn’t keep count with the music, I formed a new more reasonable goal of becoming the next great American socialite.  I hate to say it, but I am in no hurry to see Burlesque.  Christina Aguilera may have an excellent voice, but we have all heard the story many times over of the naive small town girl who moves to the big city to pursue a career in the performing arts.  Just because you add Cher, doesn’t make this overdone cliche any different.

My dark side of repressed aspiring ballerina dreams has been anticipating today’s premiere of Black Swan starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as rival ballerinas.  In this psychological thriller that also contains a touch of the dark glamour of the stage, Nina (Natalie Portman) and Lily (Mila Kunis) go from dancing rivals to sharing a deranged bi-curious friendship.  As the story progresses, the once innocent Nina begins to explore her dark side that spirals completely out of control.  Aside from the never-ending battle with duality, Black Swan also focuses on the endless pursuit of perfection, a completely unattainable goal shared by both socialites and prima ballerinas.