[floor squeaks]
[muffled voice in distance]
[Ronald over video] Try to keep your toe on the floor.
[continues indistinctly]
[piano playing over video]
Good.
[fingers snapping over video]
Coupé the foot. Good.
Rond de jambe en l’air.
Good.
Very nice.
[speaking Mandarin] Susu! I’m going up a floor, then home!
I’ve barely gotten to frappés.
One more floor, then home!
[music stops]
Petit allegro.
-Everyone to the floor, please. -[piano playing]
1 and 2 and 3 and 4.
Changement, changement, changement, changement.
Échappé.
[distant siren wailing]
[♪ Blondie playing “Heart of Glass”]
♪ Once I had a love and it was a gas ♪
♪ Soon turned out had a heart of glass ♪
♪ Seemed like the real thing, only to find ♪
♪ Mucho mistrust, love’s gone behind ♪
[cheering]
♪ In between ♪
♪ What I find is pleasing and I’m feeling fine ♪
♪ Love is so confusing, there’s no peace of mind ♪
♪ If I fear I’m losing you ♪
♪ It’s just no good ♪
♪ You teasing like you do ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh...
Have you heard of this guy?
He’s one of the hottest DJs in the country.
He’s wearing a styrofoam head.
That’s his professional name.
“Styrofoam Head.”
♪ ♪
-[♪ Tiësto & Charli XCX playing “Hot In It”] -♪ Moving till my feet get sore ♪
♪ Hands all on me till my dress gets torn ♪
♪ Watch me do it, do it real hardcore ♪
♪ My, my, my, my...
Tchaikovsky or Aaron Copland?
-Tchaikovsky, no question. -No, no,
Copland was from Brooklyn, he learned to fight on the streets.
He could totally take Tchaikovsky.
But Tchaikovsky had that Russian thing going.
Upper body strength.
-Yeah, and syphilis. -What?
-Who has syphilis? -[Jack] Tchaikovsky.
He was dripping with syphilis.
Tchaikovsky didn’t have syphilis.
I’m pretty sure he did.
Didn’t they all have syphilis?
They didn’t all have syphilis.
Schubert had syphilis.
Schumann had syphilis, too.
And Paganini.
-So much syphilis. -[Geneviève] Tchaikovsky
with syphilis could still take Copland in a fight.
Only if Copland had syphilis.
Nicholas, you went to school with Tchaikovsky.
Did he or did he not have syphilis?
What?
-[♪ Sia and Sentinel playing “Gimme Love”] -♪ Give me love, give me love, give me love ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Ooh, baby ♪
♪ Give me, give me, give me, give me, give me, give me ♪
♪ Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah ♪
♪ ♪
None of us have syphilis.
We were just discussing famous composers who had syphilis.
That’s really weird.
Well, we’re in the ballet.
♪ Hey! ♪
-[♪ Sons of Raphael playing “Nights Are For Love”] -♪ When the setting sun departs ♪
♪ the night begins in lovers’ hearts ♪
♪ Waiting for ♪
♪ the moon to rise ♪
♪ towards the stars ♪
♪ they lift their eyes ♪
♪ Nights are ♪
♪ for love ♪
♪ as stars are for the heavens above ♪
♪ In every moon there is a light ♪
♪ for those who love ♪
♪ Nights are ♪
♪ for love ♪
♪ as stars are for the heavens above ♪
♪ In every moon ♪
♪ there is a light for those who love ♪
[horn honks]
♪ Nights are for love ♪
♪ as stars are for the heavens above ♪
♪ In every moon there is a light for those who love ♪
Okay.
[indistinct chatter]
♪ Nights are for love ♪
♪ as stars are for the heavens above ♪
♪ In every moon there is a light for ♪
♪ those who love...
[chatter continues]
I’m sorry.
To the barre.
You know what to do.
Please.
[piano playing classical music]
[Kate] An hourly employee claimed they were asked to work off the clock.
They want an apology and $5,000.
You know what needs $5,000?
-Our Sunday matinees. -You tie one on last night?
-Like I would tell you. -Another employee lodged a complaint
about a toxic work environment and bullying.
Sounds like a real sissy.
Oh, Kate, that was a joke. You know, I was pretending to be a bully.
So, 12 of your dancers have not completed their online sexual harassment course.
They’re months overdue.
-I’ll get on them. -Aspirin.
[Kate] Plus, 2 of the administrative staff.
Are you kidding me?
I told everybody. Goddamn it.
I’ll take care of this, Kate.
Some people, huh?
-You were supposed to do it for me. -The skit on snack-shaming
was so poorly acted, I had to turn it off.
Well, that’s unprofessional, Julian, okay?
-Very unprofessional. -Sorry.
They still haven’t fixed that thing?
Where are they going?
Are they growing legs and walking out on their own?
-What’s happening? -Hard to say.
Not that hard. They’re going in purses, pockets.
They’re being stolen?
-Yes. -Not necessarily.
-Stolen. Absolutely. -There’s some breakage. Most are stolen.
Last week, I went to a cocktail party at Ainsley Perdue’s house.
She has a set of 6. We don’t sell these, Jack.
-I know. -[Curt] I mean, in a way,
it’s kind of flattering.
So, what do we do, frisk these old ladies as they walk out the doors?
-Oh, I really don’t - -We need another 100.
-[Jack] Another 100? -And they’re $110 each.
$110?
Who’s doing the etching? Degas?
-Plus tax and shipping. -It’s the etching.
The etching is costly.
-Then screw it. Skip the etching. -We can’t do that.
I’m not paying 10,000 fucking dollars
because the fucking Perdues are fucking kleptomaniacs.
-Skip the etching. -But they won’t match!
What are we? Cleveland?
[upbeat piano music playing]
[piano music continues]
[Nicholas] Alicia’s a bullet. She just gets stronger every day.
-You as hungover as me? -That’s what I’m saying.
Do we swing for the fences, feature her opening night,
premiere a new face?
Steven, you look as if you’re nodding off.
Fall forward with the chest.
-Marketing would love it. -So will the audience.
I say let’s do it.
Your head is a feather.
[Jack] Great. Great. First good thing I’ve heard all day.
I’m going back to my office and popping her on the board.
Ah! Oh, God, too hard.
-I’m excited, Nicholas. -Well, she will be, too.
It’s the second piece of good news for her this week.
That’s it, Steven.
-What, she win the lottery? -No, the baby.
You knew about that, right?
-[sighs] -[Marie] The mayor canceled.
-Again? -I’m getting a vibe
like they think you’re planning to run against him.
I have no plans to run for mayor, yet.
Wait, is this right? I’ve got an hour-long with Geneviève and her team today?
-At 3:00. -I wined and dined them last night.
She rebuffed my advances, twice. What’s left to do?
Was that sexual harassment?
Yes. The meeting’s been on the books for weeks.
Geneviève was very specific about it.
-One hour. -An hour?
-Well, fuck. -Mm-hmm.
-[knocking on door] -[Julian] Jack.
You read Arts and Leisure yet?
Should I?
“Despite promising stars and well-placed intentions,
the reimagined piece proved low on actual imagination.”
That’s just mean.
-Hi, Jack. -Hi, Alicia. Congrats on the baby.
So excited.
Reviews don’t matter!
[quiet chatter]
-So, last night was fun - -Loud. Fucking loud.
Loud, yes. They do play the music quite loud.
It was one scotch too many for me.
I threw up all night. Anyone else throw up all night?
-We’re French. -So I thought we said our “au revoirs.”
I’m sorry, you think my team and I flew all the way from Paris
to drink watered-down vodka
and dance to DJ Foam Head?
[speaking French] What the hell’s going on here?
You’re in trouble.
-What? -[Geneviève] Your company.
It’s in trouble.
No, it’s not.
Yes, it is.
Mine is, too.
The audience is dead and dying, so is the funding.
I’ve got union issues...
You’re French.
Then there was the mighty reign of King COVID.
I’ve got long COVID.
[Geneviève] Our dancers sat idle for months,
losing muscle mass, and fucking and eating.
-And eating. -And eating.
[Geneviève] Some quit. 4 of mine did. How many for you?
-6. -There are some on sabbatical.
[Raphael] Sabbatical. Come on, Jack.
Where’s Lorraine Stroh? She wasn’t onstage last night.
She makes plant-based doughnuts in Memphis.
[Nicholas] They’re terrible, by the way.
You need lard.
You just need lard, there’s no way around it.
Plant-based doughnuts.
Face the facts, Jack.
A lot of our dancers have abandoned toe shoes for TikTok.
The dressing rooms are filled with screaming babies
and asshole rescue dogs.
A generation of young people was lost.
The pipeline is ruined, the - the seats are empty.
-Not ours. -[Nicholas] No, that’s right.
Once we closed off the balconies, the house filled right up.
We have to fix this.
Our jobs are on the line. Yours, mine.
Every person in here, their heads are on the chopping block.
Okay, fine. Big talk. What do we do?
I propose a swap.
We trade our top talent. Yours for ours.
-Wait a minute. -[Nicholas] Uh-uh-uh.
I’m cautiously intrigued.
Launch a massive transatlantic marketing campaign
to bring the audience back to us.
Get people interested in dance again. Put fresh faces out there.
Maybe do a documentary, or a reality show about the swap.
Do you like Pink?
-The color? -The singer.
-She can host. -[Jack] You’re kidding me, right?
We don’t joke about Pink.
Okay, back up. Back up.
Point of logic -
if, and I say if, we were in that much trouble,
how in the world would we pay
for this massive “transatlantic marketing campaign?”
It’s counterintuitive.
C’est contre-intuitif.
[scoffs] Your accent is terrible.
Do you have any idea what marketing costs cost in New York City?
-[Geneviève] Costs cost? -What costs cost.
-Costs cost. -Why do you keep saying it twice?
-You know what I’m saying. -My company’s in Paris, Jack,
not Pooptown.
-Pooptown? -I know what marketing costs cost.
But I’ve secured the financing. For both of us.
Oh, really?
How?
[door opens]
Hello, hello. What a glorious day to be meeting.
-No. -[Crispin] I just had a hot dog
out in the park. It was sublime.
-No. -[Crispin] You must forgive me
for barging in like this. Awfully dramatic, I know,
but blame dear Geneviève.
She thought that you should hear this directly from me.
Hello, Jack.
-No. -[Crispin chuckles]
Your vocabulary’s improved immensely.
So this swap, brilliant idea. And all dear Geneviève’s.
You are as smart as you are beautiful, my dear.
And it’s true. I will sponsor the whole thing.
Travel. Lodging.
Pointe shoes. Pink. The entire marketing campaign.
All and any publicity.
And I will even go beyond that,
and pay for all capital improvements on your facilities.
We don’t need capital improvements.
[chuckling] Dear boy, you do.
How did you get in here? You’re not allowed in the building.
[Crispin] Jack. I’ve tried working with you in the past.
You’ve turned down all the many, many contributions I’ve offered you.
You were quite dismissive, in fact.
I’m not used to that.
But as they say, all water under the bridge.
What’s in front of us is all that matters,
so you can go ahead and tell them to etch those new champagne flutes.
And double the order.
This art form will survive
and prosper.
I’ll make sure of it.
[door closes]
Does anyone else smell sulfur?
-[flatulence] -[gasps, clears throat]
Sorry. Did I miss something?
Crispin Shamblee.
It was the only way, Jack.
You befriended the devil and you brought him into my house.
He’s not my friend. He’s my purse.
Don’t let the, “Oh, I’m so cute, I’m so cuddly,
I ate a hot dog and it was scrump-dilly-umtious” demeanor fool you.
That man manufactures weapons and sells them to God-knows-who,
that man is a friend of tyrants,
that man is a noxious chemicals manufacturer.
Well, none of us are perfect.
That man delivered the eulogy at Rush Limbaugh’s funeral.
That man rapes soil. He’s a soil raper.
That man is Beelzebub.
Yes, that’s all true. And ballet needs his money.
-Blood money. -Yes.
I want a sidebar.
A sidebar?
What is this? A “sidebar?”
This guy is an idiot.
Just follow me, Geneviève. I speak French, dummy.
Why are you doing this? Coldcocking me in front of my staff?
Because if I had suggested the idea in an email,
-you would have said no. -Is this because of our thing? Is that it?
-Our thing? -The affair?
We slept together?
-Are you punishing me for that? -No.
It broke up your marriage.
I never really liked that husband.
Well, thank you for thinking so much about my company, Geneviève,
but I want no part of this.
-You wasted your time. -Jack.
You need help arranging travel back to Paris?
-No? Good. Have a safe trip. -Jack.
[lively piano music playing]
♪ ♪
You need baking soda for blood. Or bleach. And you have to scrub them super hard.
Or get new ones. Hello.
They’re supposedly backordered. Guess they got the order in late.
But bleach should do it.
[Morton vocalizing]
[children shouting]
[Morton and children vocalizing in unison]
[Morton] Up! Up! Up!
Open to the world! Open!
What does it sound like to open up to the world?
[children shouting, clamoring]
And silly face, silly face.
Silly face and silly walk, and silly face. That’s it.
Dancing is discipline.
Expression is openness.
Now fall back.
Get little. Be little. Be little.
It’s Mr. Jack.
Oh, no! Look at that face.
That serious, serious face.
-Attack! -[children screaming]
-No. -Attack!
No! This is a new suit.
-[clamoring] -It’s custom-made.
Stop. I’m calling my lawyer.
And my tailor. He’s scarier than my lawyer.
The face is gone. The battle is won!
-Fall back! Fall back! -[cheering]
And now everybody join hands
and stand far away from each other without losing contact.
-[children giggling] -[Morton growls playfully]
There is plenty of time to be serious.
But to dance is to play.
[children laugh]
The negotiations are going very well.
The dancers are very happy with the concessions.
So we can finalize this? Call off the strike?
We are down to the last couple of points.
They would like to be reimbursed
for the thread they buy to sew on the toe shoe ribbons.
So many colors. It adds up.
And that will be it? That’s the final point?
That would do it, yes.
Very good.
-Well, that seems - -“No” on the thread.
-What? -What?
It’s too much.
It’s thread.
They knew when they became ballet dancers there would be thread involved.
What are you doing?
Do you know how long I’ve been negotiating with this motherfucker?
Allô?
If they strike, I don’t have to pay them.
-What? -Allô?
Just a tiny strike. 2, 3 weeks, tops.
I thought I was trying to stop a str - [scoffs]
We need a better system of communication, okay?
Memos, hand signals...
Hello? Are you there?
We’re here.
“No” on the thread.
If I tell the dancers this, they’ll feel management is being petty.
We are. So they should strike.
Over thread?
-Geneviève. -First, it’s thread.
Then, hair pins.
Next, it’s summers in Spain for them and their entire families.
When does it stop?
That’s quite a leap.
-[phone buzzing] -Well, it’s the ballet. There’s lots of leaping going on.
They are going to be very angry.
-Yes? -[Jack over phone] Come back.
Settle.
-Um, change of plans. -[driver] Yes, ma’am.
We’re good with the thread.
[conversation continues in French]
[Marie] More coffee’s coming soon.
-Shall we begin? -Yes. Let’s begin.
[Crispin] This is so exciting. Don’t mind me.
I’m just here to listen.
And thank you so much for having me.
Such fun.
So, who goes first?
I’d say ladies go first.
-No, I do. -Why? Why do you go first?
Because this is my house, and I graciously consented to this idea,
and I insist on going first.
-Fine. -Infant.
I have a name.
And this is not an ask, this is a demand.
[Geneviève] Yes?
You know we need a strong male principal dancer.
-Definitely. -Someone charismatic,
who can sell tickets and is tall enough to partner Julie.
Oh, you’re gonna hate me.
My God. Just say the name, Jack.
I want...
Antoine Guillaume.
[♪ Theodor von Schacht playing Symphony in C Major, “Vivace”]
♪ ♪
[music ends]
Okay.
-Wait, what? -[Raphael] He’s all yours.
-Great. -No, why’d you agree so quickly?
Because I’m a guest in your house and I’m being polite.
Is he injured? Tell me if he’s injured.
-What did he pull? -Jack,
you asked and I graciously consented.
Now say “thank you,”
take the victory, and let’s move on.
One down. Terrific.
Now it’s my turn.
I want Anna.
Anna?
[♪ Léo Delibes playing Coppélia, “Act III: Galop final”]
♪ ♪
You’re about to promote her to soloist, yes?
-Yes. -Maybe.
[Geneviève] Give her to us.
Let us promote her. It’ll be a good story.
Yes, that would be a wonderful story.
Very good, Geneviève.
-Smart. -I want to stick a pin in this.
What does that mean, to stick a pin in her?
Like a...like a voodoo doll?
No, just stick a pin in her, set her aside,
and let’s see where we go from here.
-I said yes to you. -Too quickly.
Oh, you’re impossible.
I have another name, and this one...
this one’s going to hurt for sure.
[Geneviève] Say it.
Harmony.
[Geneviève] You got it.
Oh, now, come on.
-[laughing] -My turn.
We’re doing very well here.
[Geneviève] I need a choreographer.
Someone young, new, exciting,
and you’ve got one.
Someone I’d like to stick a pin into.
Well, that’s not the correct use of the phrase.
We want...Tobias Bell.
[piano and strings playing dramatic piece]
Stop! Stop.
-[music stops] -Stop.
[sighs]
It’s swoop down, duck, duck,
shueesh, pueesh, shoo, beetle move,
kite up with full extension.
Understand?
I think so.
Again.
[Eva] Tobias, can I -
What?
Could I try landing on my left foot instead of the right?
You know, after the shoo and before the beetle move?
That doesn’t make it better.
Can I just show you?
Okay.
Is he...
is he coming back?
[air brakes hissing, squealing]
[horns honking]
[percussive music playing]
[upbeat jazz music playing]
♪ ♪
[horns honking]
Hey, out of the fucking street!
Fucking weirdo!
[honking continues]
Another really fine choice, Geneviève.
Tobias is a star on the rise. Brava.
Hold it. We raised him from a pup.
-Applauding emojis. -We need him.
I guess Paris is coming up short on
-developing decent choreographers. -Oh, fuck you.
[speaks French] What did he say?
We’re sticking a pin in this one, too.
-What is it with you and your bloody pins? -Nicholas,
you know you can spare him for a while.
You’ve got a new piece from him ready to go. We want his next one.
-Maybe. -Whoa, whoa, Sonny Corleone,
never tell anybody outside the family what you’re thinking.
-Give him to me. -Why?
You got the hots for him, Geneviève?
Is that why you’re so dead set on Tobias?
If I did, I wouldn’t tell you.
I’d tell him, and he’d be mine.
My God, the arrogance.
-Are you hearing this? -I’m not sure,
I’m still rather deaf from that music last night.
We’re getting very far off topic here, chaps.
Fine.
I need a conductor, and you’ve got one of the best.
-You want Henri? -Yes.
-Take him. -Motherfucker.
[laughs] This is turning in to quite a show.
My last ask, Jack.
I want her back.
-Who? -You know who.
Oh, really?
Yes.
You kicked her out of your program with a year left of her schooling.
We discovered her, trained her.
Then cut her. That’s the point.
[Geneviève] Doesn’t matter. We want her back.
We want our Mishi.
[♪ Igor Stravinsky’s Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra playing]
♪ ♪
Okay, okay!
We’ve hit a wall.
You’re tired. I am, too.
I’ll tell you what, let’s switch back to “Emeralds.”
Got anything left?
I’m out of gas.
I’ll do it.
If you need someone to fill in for now.
You know her part?
I know everyone’s part.
-[others grumbling] -[dancer] Hello, Tracy Flick.
Well, I say we -
Oh, if you tell me we’re sticking a pin in her,
I’m going to rip your fucking head off!
Do that!
Put me out of my misery.
Crispin, you’ve employed assassins. You put me out of my misery, too.
I’ll stand by my picture window tonight and give you a clean shot.
I’ve never employed an assassin.
-Where are you going? -I’m just shy of 10,000 steps.
[♪ Sergei Prokofiev playing Romeo and Juliet, “Act 1: Gavotte”]
♪ ♪
[crew member chatter]
[♪ Sergei Prokofiev playing Romeo and Juliet, “Act 1: Dance of Love”]
♪ ♪
[music ends abruptly]
Cheyenne.
Now, this is getting really interesting.
I want Cheyenne.
That is preposterous.
-She’s our biggest star. -[Jack] I know.
She is poetry in motion,
to quote Mr. Thomas Dolby.
A national treasure.
[speaks French] You cannot have Cheyenne.
She’s on our postage stamps.
-I’ve licked the stamps. -[Raphael] Don’t make it weird.
You despise her.
I don’t.
When she guested with your company, you threatened to deport her.
But I didn’t. And she sold tickets.
Full-price tickets.
-Absolutely not. -You’re crazy.
You want Tobias and Mishi, you give me Cheyenne.
I’ll give them back. Take them, I-I don’t want them.
-Keep Guillaume. -You can’t have Cheyenne.
So, the whole deal’s off, is that what you’re saying?
No. Yes.
Yes.
No, Geneviève.
You cannot derail these talks.
We are too far in.
[speaking French] He’s asking for the moon.
And you will give him the moon, my dear,
because the man seems quite adamant.
I missed 2 or 3 words there, but I think I agree.
[Crispin] You must see it from Jack’s point of view.
What he’s asking for is not unreasonable.
After all, what’s the poor man got?
A dancer with hip problems, an alcoholic ballerina
and a deaf conductor.
-What? -Mr. Shamblee -
Geneviève, this deal must happen.
For ballet’s sake.
Fine.
Good.
Get into the details and send me the bill.
Thank you, everyone.
[sighs] Cheyenne...
Cheyenne.
[fog horn blaring]
Come on!
[man over loudspeaker] Attention, you are engaged in an illegal fishing operation.
They are cutting the nets too slow!
Cheyenne, get back to your post!
Release your nets.
Ram the ship. If we sink it, the nets will release.
-We can’t do that. -Why not?
Because if we ram the ship, then we go down, too.
So what? This is war, no?
-Just focus on the nets! -But they will get more nets!
We need to stop the boats.
We need to stop those motherfucking criminal bastards!
-Murdering fucks! -[man screams]
You, asshole! I’m talking to you!
I don’t think he knows what you’re saying.
I think he does.
-Captain, Jasper’s overboard! -Oh, shit.
-Who cares? Leave him. -We’re not leaving him.
And you are not in charge.
If he’s too stupid to not fall off a boat,
that’s Darwin saying don’t take an idiot like Jasper on the boat.
-Get Jasper! -Every available man is on the net!
-Forget the net! -What do you mean, “Forget the net?”
Cheyenne, take a break. Over there.
“Take a break.” Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize
it was swing dance lesson time on the lido deck.
They are breaking laws. They are killing animals.
Do you hear me?
-[horn blaring] -Yes, because you’re yelling.
You won’t get away with this! Assholes!
[over loudspeaker] We eat those oranges, Cheyenne.
Well, what weapons do we have?
Harpoons?
Crossbows?
-Where are the torpedoes? -We don’t have torpedoes.
Why would we come out here without torpedoes?
What kind of ecowarriors are you people?!
[horn blaring]
[seabirds squawking]
[speaking French] Cheyenne Toussaint?
I’m placing you under arrest.
-Why? -Hands behind your back, please.
I don’t believe this - they get to press charges against me?
The illegal fishing boat?
Because I threw some fruit?
Hands behind your back, please.
You know, there was a whole crew of people on the boat with me.
Except Jasper.
It was the people on your boat who are pressing charges.
The people on my...
You were threatening to use weapons,
harpoons, torpedoes...
Well, we tried sending candy and flowers and it didn’t work.
-You did? -No! Of course not!
You think you’re unsafe now?
I’m going to hire my own boat and use it to ram your boat.
Sander! You coward!
You cheating, sniveling coward. Face me, Sander.
[speaking French] The captain and crew have chosen to remain
on the boat until you have been restrained.
There are 15 men over 300 pounds each on that boat!
One of them swam the English Channel pulling a tugboat in his mouth...
Toulouse, yes - he won’t come out of the galley.
You’re an embarrassment! All of you!
[speaking French] I just have to say, my wife and I are very big fans.
We saw you dance Manon 2 years ago and we still talk about it.
That was a good production.
Would you mind?
[camera clicks]
She is going to be thrilled.
[crew cheering and whooping]
[laughter]
How do you stop bad people without torpedoes?
Eco-warriors. Eco-nudgers they should be called. Eco-finger waggers.
Torpedoes are for the military, aren’t they?
So what?
Wouldn’t they be hard to find?
Oh, so we want something easy? Why don’t we just make chicken nuggets. That’s easy.
Don’t get mad at me.
I’m not mad at you.
I just...
I want to be with fighters.
I want to fight. I want something to matter.
It’s good you’re smoking.
Overpopulation is killing the Earth.
-[scraping] -[phone ringing]
[radio newscaster speaking French]
Bruna!
Phone!
[sighs]
Charge it before you give it back this time.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Yes?
I’m in Marseille. I’ve been arrested.
Again?
Yes, again. I need you to bring me money for a lawyer.
I don’t have any money here.
You have money under your mattress,
-in your pillows... -No.
In the teapot, under the flower planter
-on the right... -No.
Under the flower planter on the left, in your good bra...
That is money for emergencies.
I’ll go to the bank.
Thank you, Maman.
Oh - the tutus are looking for you.
What? Why?
Hello? Hello?
Hello?
[all groaning]
[♪ BTS playing “Lie”]
♪ ♪
[singing in Korean]
[all groaning, clamoring]
[others exclaiming]
♪ ♪
Excusez - Oh, my God.
Snake!
Cheyenne, I have been trying to -
-Snake. -Oh, my God.
Snake with rattles and fangs.
Like the Bible. In - in a tree.
Hanging there waiting, quiet.
And then suddenly, here’s some fruit.
Enjoy it on your way to America.
Oh, it’s not America, it’s New York.
Please, sit. Let us talk this out.
Talk? Talk is wonderful. What should we talk about?
About how you fired me?
I didn’t fire you.
I save your pathetic Rite of Spring, go off for 2 weeks and come back fired.
You didn’t save it and I didn’t fire you.
He wanted it cheerier. Rite of Spring.
He never said cheerier, Cheyenne, he just changed the costumes.
Fluffy skirts. Like the can-can.
Lucien, does this fucking window not open?
[Lucien] It does not.
Rite of Spring is about human sacrifice.
You don’t carry out a human sacrifice in a fluffy skirt.
And you refused to wear the skirt.
You exchanged it for a T-shirt with a cat giving the finger.
-And that’s why you’re firing me? -I’m not firing you!
Things happened while you were gone.
All these years, I am here.
I gave up everything. Family, children...
Oh, you hate children!
Because they are a drain on the world and are boring to talk to.
But that doesn’t mean I did not give them up.
Geneviève, stop!
Ignore my smell. Just breathe through your mouth.
You didn’t even call.
You just gave me away.
I couldn’t call. You were on a bloody ship in the middle of the ocean.
[Lucien] No, no, no, no.
[speaking French] And here I am!
-Oh, vaffancol. -[Geneviève] Oh, Gabin.
You seem surprised? Excited? Elated? Wonderful.
Now, let’s talk about how I feel.
Like you need your diapers changed?
I have just heard that I am not going to New York, yes?
No. Yes. You are not.
May I ask why?
Maybe they don’t want you. It is America.
They’re full up on cocky little shits.
You put me in this company because I am amazing.
So when do I get to be amazing?!
I find you amazing every time you open your mouth.
You smell worse than usual.
-I’m not going. -I am going.
You are...You’re not.
Everyone says I’m the next Baryshnikov.
No one has ever said that.
Ballet has been very good to you.
No - I have been very good for ballet.
We need this, the company needs this. Dance needs this.
I am suffocating here.
Then you open that goddamn window!
-Send him. Send Baryshnikov. -Ah. Merci.
-[Geneviève] They want you. -Impossible. Jack hates me.
Many people hate you.
He asked for you. He insisted.
There was no negotiation.
[speaking French] Gabin, get back to rehearsal.
Rehearsal?
I stand watching a 45-year-old Romeo
flirt with a 39-year-old Juliet.
I hold a jug of wine. Occasionally, I sip from it.
I added that part myself.
You will get your chance when you are ready.
This is jail!
Murderers are treated better than me. I am not a murderer.
Well, I saw your “Tarantella” last season...
Fuck everything about you.
It’s a year, Cheyenne, 1 year.
They’re going to make me do Stars and Stripes.
They probably will.
And you’ll have to do it. And The Nutcracker.
And you’ll have to go to the galas, and the donor parties,
and you are going to have to teach a master class.
Oh, no.
[Geneviève] And you are going to have to participate in the marketing campaign.
What? You want me to go on TV and sell pasta noodles?
[speaking French] I am wasted here!
Let me go somewhere where they will use my talents!
I’m young, I’m strong, and my English is just as good as hers:
“What are the specials today?” “I have no smaller bills.”
[Geneviève groans]
Cheyenne, wait.
Cheyenne.
[speaking French] Oh, good.
Now that she’s gone, let me show you what they have me doing in my latest part.
Pretend it’s a jug of wine.
Riveting. No?
[♪ Tom Waits playing “Big in Japan”]
[bag thuds]
♪ ♪
♪ I got the style ♪
♪ but not the grace ♪
♪ I got the clothes ♪
♪ but not the face ♪
♪ I got the bread ♪
♪ but not the butter ♪
♪ I got the window ♪
♪ but not the shutter ♪
♪ But I’m big in Japan ♪
♪ I’m big in Japan ♪
♪ Hey, but I’m big in Japan ♪
♪ I’m big in Japan ♪
♪ I got the house ♪
♪ but not the deed ♪
♪ I got the horn ♪
♪ but not the reed ♪
♪ I got the cards ♪
♪ but not the luck ♪
♪ I got the wheel ♪
♪ But not the truck ♪
♪ But hey, I’m big in Japan ♪
♪ I’m big in Japan ♪
♪ But hey, I’m big in Japan ♪♪
[radio newscaster speaking French]
[speaking French] They are shipping me to America.
Okay.
[toaster dings]
[upbeat classical music playing]
♪ ♪
Whoa! Why are you coming so close to me?
Sorry, Tobias.
You have the whole room to dance in. You don’t have to aim it right at me.
Won’t do it again, Tobias.
I can’t hear you. Just don’t do it again.
Stop. Everybody stop.
-[music stops] -[sighs]
-We’re rehearsing. -And it’s wonderful.
I just need a quick chat with you at some point.
-About what? -Just come find us when you take a break.
He doesn’t take breaks.
-[Jack] Well, when you’re done. -Tell me now.
I’ll tell you when your rehearsal’s over.
I can’t rehearse until you tell me.
-Please just tell him. -It can wait.
I won’t think about anything else until you tell me what it is.
I will just stand here, for hours.
Well, we can speak now, but how about in the hall?
-Why? -Do you want to ask the dancers
to step into the hall?
Am I dying?
What? No.
-[chuckles] -Of course not.
I mean, honestly, I don’t know if you’re dying, but you look very healthy.
-Wh - Are you dying? -I don’t know.
I don’t know why you want to talk to me, I don’t know if I’m dying,
I don’t know why Julie aims right for me every time she does that jeté.
There are many things I don’t know, Jack.
Well, okay. [laughs softly]
Le Ballet National has specifically requested you as part of the swap.
To go.
To Paris.
[door closes]
Is he...is he coming back?
It would be for a year, at least.
You’d train with them, learn the Paris way.
A lot to ingest, I know.
-A year. -Wow.
I think you can do it. You are 2 of our top students.
You’ve got the poise, which is crucial, because there’ll be press.
You’ll be representing Paris, but you’ll be representing New York, too.
Well?
-I-I don’t know. -All our friends are here.
-You’ll make new friends. -[Thomas] I was going on
a driving trip with my family, through the national parks.
-It’s kind of a yearly thing. -You’d have to skip that.
And my brother’s graduating middle school.
You’ll miss some things, for sure, but...
give it a think. Okay?
-We will. -Thanks, Mr. McMillan.
[shower running]
Dude?
-We’re going to Paris! -[both laugh]
[both] ♪ We’re going to Paris, yeah ♪
♪ We’re going to Paris, yeah ♪
♪ We’re going to Paris, yeah...
[♪ Sonny Curtis playing “Love is All Around”]
[P.A. announcer] Welcome to New York City, John F. Kennedy Airport.
♪ Who can turn the world on with her smile? ♪
♪ Who can take a nothing day ♪
♪ And suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? ♪
♪ Well, it’s you, girl, and you should know it ♪
♪ With each glance and every little movement, you show it ♪
♪ Love is all around, no need to fake it ♪
♪ You can have the town, why don’t you take it? ♪
♪ You’re gonna make it after all ♪
-[horn honking] -♪ You’re gonna make it after all ♪♪
[Jack] Oh, hello.
-You missed your car. -They pollute.
I thought maybe
-you’d been abducted by aliens. -I wasn’t.
There was a whole welcoming presentation awaiting you.
All the young girls from the school were lined up to meet you.
They had a special dance planned for you. They were so excited.
-Oh. Where are they now? -They stood out here for 2 hours.
They had to go back to school. Half of them were crying.
They’ll toughen up, or they’ll quit.
One or the other. I need a toilet.
[Jack] Slow down!
-You need a pass, miss. -She’s with me, Mike.
I called you. I left messages.
“Do you need anything? Is the seat on the plane okay?
Was there anything in the paperwork that was confusing?”
And I got nothing, no answer at all.
Sometimes no answer is your answer.
No text, no smoke signals.
It’s like I lit the beacons of Gondor and then Rohan went, “Oh, that’s pretty,”
-and then went back to gardening. -I got your messages and I understood
your random Lord of the Rings reference, so we’re good?
[sighs]
Stop walking away from me.
-[Cheyenne] Are you serious? -I’m talking to you.
Get the fuck out of the ladies’ room, Jack.
It’s gender-neutral. Read the signs.
I pee with an audience? No.
[Jack] Cheyenne, come on.
You’re being ridiculous.
Cheyenne.
Cheyenne, stop it. Use the bathroom.
-I’ll wait outside. -I am fine.
And if I can’t hold it, I won’t. That’s what pets do.
Wait, did you just threaten to pee on my rug?
[man] Welcome back to New York, Ms. -
-Why am I here? -You know why.
You don’t need me here. You don’t want me here.
I was very happy where I was.
-You were never happy anywhere. -My life.
-I decide. -See, this is why I thought
-we should have a phone call, to discuss - -I don’t need a phone call.
I’m standing right here.
I want to know why you insisted that I come here,
to this place, with the blinding light everywhere.
Why is there so much light?
You think these are such wonderful people to look at?
You think their dancing needs to be highlighted by so much wattage?
Do you make anyone take class here?
Julian, does anybody need me to be somewhere?
-[Julian over phone] No. -I don’t like
-being a chess piece. -Anybody at all?
-I am not chattel. -[Julian] You’re good.
-Schedule’s clear. -Could you double-check?
-Okay. -No one needs you.
There are no rich ladies to make you see their panties for a donation.
Okay, first of all, fuck you.
Second of all, fuck you.
-You kidnapped me! -I didn’t kidnap you!
Packed up and tossed out of my country.
-You were not tossed out of your c - -Told I am to be in New York
in two days, forced onto a plane.
A plane uses 4 liters of fuel every second, Jack.
Every second. And now that’s on my head.
I’m sorry about the plane.
You know the smoked salmon cinema closed, on Broadway?
-I walked by it on my way here. -It did.
Too bad.
How you can sell smoked salmon at a movie theater...
-It was a surprising menu item. -I liked that theater, though.
They were so mean to the old people.
The world can break your heart in so many ways, you know?
Look, Cheyenne, this swap is very important.
To me, to my company -
I have approval over all my pieces.
You have consultation and right of refusal, yes.
No. Approval.
-Right of refusal. It’s the same thing. -Says who?
-Your lawyer. -What lawyer?
Ben. Ben Friedman.
-He’s a lawyer? -Yes. What did you think he was?
I don’t know, he always handed me a cappuccino.
I thought he was the cappuccino man.
He’s been negotiating on your behalf for a week.
He’s killing us over the parking space.
I don’t drive.
You should tell him that.
I don’t know how much is left in me, Jack.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing right now.
Well, while you figure it out, be here.
Change of pace. New faces.
-I don’t need new faces. -What do you need?
To watch you dance is like dying and finding out there actually is a heaven.
You know that.
Well, in the right part.
I know you hate the bullshit. Let me deal with the bullshit.
You just dance. Do what you love.
You do love to dance, don’t you, Cheyenne?
No, but it’s who I am, so there is no choice.
[gentle piano music playing]
♪ ♪
[dramatic music playing]
[distant crew member chatter]
[chatter continues]
[slow creaking]
[heavy door closes]
-[door opens] -[Crispin] So, you open the lobby door
and you walk right into this.
You see what I’m talking about?
The chairs, which look like we borrowed them from a church basement,
the cheap laminate floors.
Don’t even look at the sconces, you’ll have nightmares.
This whole room is an abomination.
The ballet theater should be a sacred space.
When you walk in here, it should feel like church.
A church. Okay.
[Crispin] I’m gonna redo everything,
make it more La Scala, less Odd Fellows Hall.
And does Jack know about this?
’Cause, you know, he just brought us in to put some shelves in the storage closet.
I’ll handle Jack.
You just click your heels together and get us out of Kansas.
Cheyenne Toussaint,
danseuse étoile and queen of Le Ballet National.
Gentlemen, you should be aware
that you are currently in the presence of greatness.
It’s nice to see you’re still completely full of shit, Crispin.
Well, I’ve always been a big believer in consistency.
I heard they overnighted you from France.
Bubble-wrapped me and everything.
[Crispin] You look wonderful.
Let’s not pretend to be friends, hmm?
It’s beneath us.
You haven’t softened any of those rough edges of yours, I see.
I didn’t know you had anything to do with this.
Jack never even let you in the lobby of this place.
Well, he was doing himself a favor because that lobby is terrible.
I’m fixing it though. It’ll be a marvel.
I just Venmo’d Santo Loquasto.
But to answer your question,
I am here to make sure that this swap succeeds.
In fact, I was very instrumental in getting you here.
You are a liar and a criminal.
Yes, but I also love a good Coppélia.
I must go.
I think it’s wonderful you’re here.
It’ll be a big boost for the company.
And it desperately needs a boost.
And you truly care?
-You don’t think I do? -No.
I don’t think you truly care about anything
but power, control.
There you are wrong, uh, not about power and control, of course.
I do love that.
Who doesn’t?
Right, Étoile?
But you’re not entirely wrong in your feelings about me.
I have done many things in my life of which I am not proud.
Well, no, that’s not right.
Actually, I’m very proud of them,
but I know that I shouldn’t be,
so at least there’s a little
self-awareness there.
However, when it comes to dance,
there my love is pure.
And you think giving money to the ballet absolves you of your sins?
Well, why not? It’s certainly a lot more concrete
than “Give me 5 Our Fathers and 10 Hail Marys.”
You just like your name on buildings.
I like knowing that if my name is on a building,
then this wonderful thing is still alive.
If something bad goes to something good,
it’s sort of a wash.
Isn’t it?
You understand that.
-Me? -Yes, you.
You know,
you and I are very similar, Cheyenne.
-No. -We are both exacting, determined,
ruthless when we have to be.
We know who we are, and we won’t even try to change.
We are pure.
And I understand how isolating that can be.
In fact, I may be the only person in the entire world
who understands you.
Who understands your constant search for meaning
in what you do.
Why are you here?
On this Earth?
To dance?
There’s no one better at it, but is that it?
Is that enough?
You are an artist.
And artistry comes at a cost.
Oh. [chuckles]
And you are an artist now?
Well, I am in my own way.
I’m also the best at what I do.
And to be the best, you have to be uncompromising.
And that comes with guilt.
I have no guilt.
Really?
Anthony Bricks never recovered from his time working with you.
He was an up-and-coming young choreographer.
The next big thing.
And then, like in a dream,
he got handed the greatest ballerina in the world
to build a ballet around.
And she fought him.
She refused to do what he asked.
And then she humiliated him in front of the entire ballet world.
It was a terrible piece.
He was a mediocre talent at best.
But all you had to do was the steps.
That’s it. You could’ve made them look wonderful.
But you didn’t.
You did your own steps.
And you let everyone know it.
You let everyone know that Anthony was a fraud.
And he’s never attempted
to choreograph anything
ever again.
Has he?
No.
He runs a yogurt stand in Barbados.
Well, that’s just as good as being a celebrated choreographer.
Being an artist isn’t generous.
It isn’t kind.
Therefore, sometimes we have to do penance.
To keep our humanity from floating out into the ether.
Be helpful to other people.
And if we do that, then maybe someday
the angel will overtake the devil
and we’ll finally be able to find our place in this world.
Oh, by the way.
That was one of my boats you attacked the other day.
We’ll talk about that some other time, shall we?
[faint classical music playing]
[instructor over video] In your warm-up pose.
Hold and down.
[continues indistinctly]
[instructor over video] All right, ready? Places.
[classical music playing]
Step 1.
Step 2.
Step arabesque.
[continues indistinctly]
And a 2, and 3.
Close.
Passé.
Front.
[instruction and music continue over video]
[instructor over video] The left.
[music stops]
[classical music resumes]
[instructor over video] Step 1.
Step 2.
Step arabesque.
[continues indistinctly]
[door slams]
And a 2, and 3.
Close.
Passé.
Front.
[instruction and music continue over video]
[music stops]
This is Josie’s class.
How did you get this?
What are you doing here in the middle of the night?
Are you in the school here?
-No. -What?
[louder] No.
How did you get that?
My mother got it for me.
Who is your mother? She dances here?
She’s the cleaning lady.
So this is stolen?
-The phone? -The footage.
Where do you study?
-Nowhere. -Nowhere?
You came out of your mother’s womb with feet like that?
My grandmother taught me some things when I was little.
You’ve never been to class?
No money for class.
But there’s money for shoes?
If I looked inside of them, would I see some other girl’s name?
I always put them back when I’m done.
What’s your name?
Susu.
Am I in trouble?
Meredith’s classes are better.
Tell your mother.
[door opens]
[door slams]
[♪ Sons of Raphael singing “At Dawn I Look For You”]
♪ On your face light plays, the sun is young ♪
♪ In everything a mystery ♪
♪ I remember morning stars that sang ♪
♪ And golden skies that hung upon a cypress tree ♪
♪ And even angels have a way to say ♪
♪ you are gone ♪
♪ Not through words but the first ray of dawn ♪
♪ And when the birds with your voice sing ♪
♪ with childlike faith I will run ♪
♪ to meet your light in the rising sun ♪
♪ ♪
♪ The red silk of your full lips can speak ♪
♪ And with the sunset’s voices blend ♪
♪ In the open air our bodies leap ♪
♪ and like a falling leaf ♪
♪ into the night descend ♪
♪ And even angels have a way to say ♪
♪ you are gone ♪
♪ Not through words but the first ray of dawn ♪
♪ And when the birds with your voice sing ♪
♪ with childlike faith I will run ♪
♪ to meet your light in the rising ♪
♪ sun ♪
♪ Or something like your eyes ♪
♪ the sea, the wind and the sand ♪
♪ the rainbow’s colors that never end ♪
♪ Into light you can bring ♪
♪ every hidden thing ♪
♪ And even angels have...