Dancing on Glass is a 2022 Drama Thriller film directed by Jota Linares. The movie revolves around the struggles and hard work of ballet dancers. The story is narrated in two acts, where the first act centers around Irene and Aurora’s friendship. Irene, a member of the National Classic Ballet team, is chosen to replace Giselle, who commits suicide. As Irene takes on the role of Giselle, she becomes the target of jealousy from her peers, and this affects her mental health. Meanwhile, Aurora, who is shy and has an ambitious ballerina mother, befriends Irene.
In the second act, the two dancers’ lives take a turn after Aurora has an accident that leaves her unable to perform in the Giselle show. The show’s director, Norma, forbids Irene from seeing her friend, believing it will affect her performance. Although Irene becomes increasingly stressed, she persists in her training, determined to make the show a success.
Dancing on Glass has a lengthy runtime of 139 minutes, but the story beautifully entwined with ballet performances that make it engaging throughout. As a matter of fact, almost the last 25 minutes of the movie exquisitely presents the ballet performance titled “Giselle”. The two acts of the story mirror the ballet performances that underline the plot, with Act 1 showing the joyous side of the dancers’ lives, and Act 2 revealing the conflicts and tragedies that dancers face.
The film’s seamless flow of storytelling represents the struggles and hard work the ballet dancers have to endure to perfect their craft. The narrative does an excellent job of demonstrating how the dancers’ lives are affected by jealousy, ambition, depression, and pressure in their profession. The movie also portrays the brutality of the dancing world that takes a toll on the dancers’ lives.
The acting performance by Paula Losada, Maria Pedraza, Samantha Vottari, and the rest of the cast is outstanding. Their performances capture and depict ballet dancers’ emotions and personas, adding an abundance of sentimental value to the movie.
In conclusion, Dancing on Glass is an emotional and engaging movie that brings to light the sacrifices and hard work the ballet dancers go through in pursuit of perfecting their craft. The entwined scenes of ballet performances add immense value to the movie, beautifully illustrating the act’s intense emotions and conflicts. Overall, the storyline is well-written, and the cast performances take the viewer through an emotional and thrilling journey.
