Ballet Documentary is a Meltingpot Must-See!

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

How many of you ever dreamed of being a ballerina? Even if it was just for a minute. I had that one-minute dream, but it was quickly squashed by my ballet teacher who informed my mother that I just didn't have a dancer's body... at age five! Luckily, I found gymnastics to be more my style and then I was on to swimming and ice skating and... well, you get the idea. Clearly, I didn't even have the mental fortitude to be a ballerina. But I still get shivers of excitement when I watch other young people dance.

So, you can imagine my delight when I heard about a new documentary, called First Position that follows six young people in their quest for a prestigious ballet scholarship. I originally heard about the film because of the young Black girl profiled. Her name is Michaela DePrince and she was orphaned in her native Sierra Leone, adopted by a White American family and triumphs in the film. I was hooked just hearing that nugget. But the film follows five other great kids, with diverse backgrounds, boys and girls. I am excited to see this movie because if finally shows other faces of ballet besides young White girls.

But rather than me trying to get you all excited, why don't you just watch the trailer and decide for yourself. Let the shivers commence.



Peace!

Push Girls: Real Diversity on TV

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Not too long ago, I was lamenting the lack of diversity on television. Well, apparently I wasn't looking in the right places. Thanks to the smart folks over at Racialicious, I heard about this new series premiering on the Sundance Channel this June called, Push Girls. Yes, it's a reality show, but honestly it looks really good.

The show will follow the lives of four dynamic, diverse, girlfriends who all happen to be paralyzed. Three of the four are paraplegics, one is a quadriplegic. But this isn't a show about disabilities. It's a show about female friendship, living life in image-obsessed Los Angeles, relationships (romantic and otherwise) and being an individual. Two of the women are White, one is a Latina and one is mixed Asian and European. All of them have really amazing backgrounds -- and all of them are living amazing lives today. If I had cable, I'd be sure to tune in on June 4th. Hopefully I can catch it on-line.

Here's a sneak peek.


So, do you think you'll be watching Push Girls? Why or why not?
I'm listening.

Peace!