Chalamet said he admires people who advocate to “keep movie theatres alive,” but argued that real audience desire — like the boom around Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023) — is what actually fills seats. He added that he doesn’t want to work in an art form that needs to plead for relevance, giving the example of opera and ballet.
This sparked a wave of online criticism, with many taking offence to the statement that “no one cares about this anymore.” It prompted enough buzz for a joke to be made about it at the Oscars ceremony.
Regardless of your opinion on Chalamet’s comment, it did turn some attention on these art forms, including my own, especially toward ballet. I have not danced myself, but because of family and friends who have, I’ve held a long standing appreciation for the craft. Still, I’d never sought it out of my own accord — so when Chalamet’s remarks, and the internet’s reaction reached my feed, I got curious. It’s worth noting that many classic ballets have long been critiqued for racial caricatures and cultural appropriation — a conversation that continues on today. With that in mind, I went in wanting to understand the form rather than romanticize it.
As a student, I didn’t presume live ballet was in my budget, so I started my search with what was accessible and free online. One of my favourite free resources is Kanopy, available with a public library card. I found they had an entire section dedicated to the performing arts and more specifically, ballet. This included recordings of live performances, documentaries, and even fictional movies built around the world of dance.
I particularly enjoyed checking out a performance of Don Quixote. Based on the early-17th-century Spanish novel, the ballet follows the adventures of an aging man of low mobility who, after reading one too many adventure tales, decides to revive chivalry and serve his country. Watching it, I learned how a ballet can be called a comedy, and what a comedy it was with its overarching playful tone and repeated bits that brought out a chuckle.
I also found the movie Billy Elliot (2000) on Kanopy. This coming-of-age drama follows 11-year-old Billy as he discovers his passion for ballet while his family navigates the 1984-1985 miners’ strike in North East England. This movie offers an interesting look at the era, as well as how difficult it can be for the working-class kids to break into the fine arts.
If you end up getting hooked by ballet and want to regularly support the art, streaming services like Marquee TV, Royal Ballet and Opera Stream, and Ballet On Demand, might be worth looking into. Marquee TV offers ballet, theatre, opera, and other fine arts performances and documentaries from multiple companies worldwide (including from B.C.), plus a seven day free trial. The Royal Ballet and Opera Stream shows performances from the British Royal Ballet and Opera as well as behind-the-scenes content and new titles regularly added. Ballet on Demand from the English National Ballet offers short term rentals of performances on demand with no recurring payments to keep track of.
If you do have some time and money to spare, Ballet Kelowna, Ballet BC, and Ballet Vancouver, have performances in and near the Fraser Valley. Prices vary, but in my experience they tend to be cheaper than an average Vancouver concert. Tickets from Ballet Kelowna’s most recent tour range from 35 to 55 dollars, Ballet BC’s upcoming performance tickets range from 19 to 157 dollars, and Ballet Vancouver’s tickets go from 25 to 133 dollars.
Ballet has been said to be foundational to many forms of modern dance, and a key discipline to many dancers regardless of what style they pursue long term. Most ballet companies are non-profits, relying on philanthropy and government support. Interest in the craft — and the willingness to back that interest — only increases the money these companies are given. So if you want a hand in preserving this classical art form, maybe it’s time to acquaint yourself with the ballet.
