Center Stage Came Out 20 Years Ago and it is Still Wonderful
The perfect antidote for a crumby day (week, month… or year) is a dance movie. It’s true.
TW: eating disorders
Center Stage premiered May 12, 2000, Bill Clinton was president, Maria Maria by Santana was #1 on Billboard, and The Millenium Force rollercoaster opened at Cedar Point. This delightful movie is full of happy endings, a very 2000s playlist, and captivating choreographed numbers. What’s not to love?
I don’t know how I forgot that Mandy Moore has not one but two songs on the soundtrack, but I did and I squealed when I heard them. Candy is the song that plays during a particular dance class scene. You know the one. Downtown. Lots of thrusting and men who really look like they might kick themselves in the head. (In case you didn’t hear, she has released deliciously nostalgic merchandise on her website. The back of the lilac shirt reads “i’M miSsiN’ U *LiKe CaNdY*”) The other track “I Wanna Be With You” has an accompanying music video that, of course, cuts between Moore in a ballet studio, scenes from the movie, and lots of shots of a dancing Sascha Radetsky.
Center Stage is so much fun. It was both Zoe Saldana and Anna Schull’s debut roles and they are the only two characters’ auditions scenes that we see at the beginning of the film. Immediately, as an audience, we are bonded to them. Later we find out that they become roommates, and both openly say what’s on their mind… to different effect. Saldana’s Eva is overflowing with skill and a “bad” attitude; Schull’s Jody is, at least in the present company, a lackluster dancer at best that is cloyingly sweet. Throughout the film, Eva softens a bit, reigning in her disrespectful outbursts and focuses on ballet more intently. Jody experiences a little minor heartbreak, and hopefully sets healthy boundaries for herself in the future, like she does when she rejects Cooper (partially) at the end of the film.
A reason to love Center Stage is it gives significant screen time to the female characters’ transformations, self-love, friendship, and dedication to expressing themselves through dance. Is there a bit of a predatory hook-up and then eventual job offer between Jody and Cooper? …Yes. It’s less than ideal that Jody sleeps with him and then joins his company as there are so many consequences that could inevitably follow. However, alternatively, Charlie is a pretty level-headed foil character to the fiery Cooper. Charlie is supportive of Jody, and clearly has feelings for her, but is patient and seemingly does not expect anything from her except friendship. In the end, Jody asks him out… and it’s pretty stinking cute and wholesome.
Apparently, Charlie was supposed to be Carlos but the actor directors wanted to play him became injured (much like Eric does before the workshop). I, personally, would have loved to see this, of course — but Sascha Radetsky is still dreamy and had a blasé calm vibe that ended up working for him. We love to see a woman finally realizing the guy who’s been there the whole time is actually an above-average romantic partner candidate! Instead of sitting through the standard arc of a couple getting together, fighting, and then making up, Jody makes up her mind to date Charlie and join Cooper’s company (y’know, to be a principal instead of a chorus dancer… and all that). We get to know Jody better throughout the film because she doesn’t spend the entire time talking about men. She has other interests and goals, and that makes her an interesting and full character.
There are dramatic elements to the film, but they don’t feel self-indulgent. Maureen (Susan May Platt) struggles with an eating disorder and courageously chooses to leave ballet because it makes her miserable. Though initially, she isn’t the most likable character, once the audience is introduced to her well-intentioned (albeit toxic) mother, it becomes easier to sympathize with her. Earlier we see Maureen and her mother make fun of another character, Emily for gaining weight. Eventually, Emily is told she cannot be in the workshop because of it, and Emily’s mother is blindingly the opposite of Maureen’s. This sheds a light on the issues that ballet dancers face, though it may not be the brightest one. There are mentions about how Jody does not have the ideal body type, but we never see her act any differently because of it.
Center Stage is a romanticized preview into what life as a dancer might resemble that just so happens to have two little love stories written into it. It is the perfect “dance flick” to turn on for an evening of escapism. An added bonus? During the workshop dance scenes you can shed one emotional tear when Eva finally gets her prima ballerina moment, and then quickly snap out of it when Jody and Cooper flop around dramatically on a bed you can giggle and yell out “Sex ballet!!!” if you’re a little bit immature and a goofball like I am.
Anyway, happy 20th anniversary to Center Stage, you sparkling New York City ballet fever dream! If I ever see a motorcycle on stage once we’re able to go back to the theater… I’ll think of you.
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