Breaking Pointe Cast Photo
Breaking Pointe is on the CW at 8/7c
In the first episode of Breaking Pointe, the CW’s new reality series which follows six Ballet West dancers, viewers learn, “ballet is an obsession.” By the end of the first episode the viewers realize why it’s is easy to become obsessed with ballet and Breaking Pointe.
Week after week this show delivers. Breaking Pointe is enchanting.
What sets Breaking Pointe apart from all the other reality tv shows on television is the approach it takes.
The reality tv dance shows which precede Breaking Pointe, such as So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Best Dance Crew, Dance Moms, focus on dance competitions and trophies. The drama of most reality dance series seems to center around competition results and the impact those results have on the dancer’s rankings.
These dance shows can last an hour but the performances themselves last for about 5-10 minutes, in some cases the results shows have no dancing at all. In most of these shows dancing seems to be an afterthought, the icing on a well constructed reality tv cake.
Breaking Pointe is more dance centric. Dancing does not take a backseat on this series.
Breaking Pointe makes sure each dancer’s skills and talents are on display each and every episode. It’s hard to take your eyes off of Allison, Christiana, Kathleen (aka Katie), Rex, Ronald and Ronnie as they perform their routines with such grace and elegance week after week.
The viewers become immersed in the world of each Ballet West dancer. Viewers see the dancers of Ballet West dancing, rehearsing, stretching, and then rehearsing some more. The show follows the dancers in the studio, on the stage and behind the curtains on performance nights.
Breaking Pointe gives its viewers more than a behind the scenes glimpse, it gives them unprecedented access to a world few have ever explored. The series is more than a peek behind the curtain, it is a exposé on the ballet world itself.
What makes this show intriguing is the fact that it thrives off of the natural drama ballet seems to create.
It may be hard for reality tv fans to grasp how Breaking Pointe manages to be intriguing and exciting without relying on the cat fights or verbal shouting matches most reality shows thrive on, however; Breaking Pointe manages to do just that.
Breaking Pointe seems to invest in the theory that it does not need to create or manufacture drama since the ballet world is inherently dramatic and competitive. Sure, there are a couple made for reality tv moments like the coffee house chats or nightclub outing scenes here and there, but most of the drama of the series appears to be real and a byproduct of the dancer’s profession.
What also sets Breaking Pointe apart is it’s cast. Unlike other reality shows which follow star seeking talentless wannabes who are either attempting to become famous or “famous for being famous” this series follows trained professionals who actually work for a living. As one critic wrote, “unlike the Kardashians, these people have real skills.”
The dancers of Breaking Pointe lives revolve around dance. With rehearsals consuming up to 8-12 hours of the dancer’s day the cast of Breaking Pointe don’t seem to have time to engage in petty squabbles, spend hours primping for the club, follow a strict gym, tan, laundry routine or spend night after night getting wasted. Unlike most reality stars they have jobs and they are expect to work hard.
Breaking Pointe is not the manufactured reality Americans have come to expect. It’s better than that. As one critic put it “This is perhaps reality TV at its best. This is about real life, real problems and real people.”
Breaking Pointe is a breath of fresh air, breathing new life into the reality tv genre which has become stale and monotonous in recent years. Breaking Pointe’s reality is not manufactured or constructed for the viewers benefit, it’s real, delightful and simply delicious.
Reality tv fans take note, this is what great reality tv looks like. Breaking Pointe is a game changer for the genre reality tv and a must watch.
Breaking Pointe is on the CW at 8/7c
