My Response To The Film 'First Position'

First Position by Bess Kargman, produced in 2011, follows the lives of seven dancers as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix, an elite competition offering scholarships and positions in dance companies. By bringing viewers into the lives of dancers, the audience is able to experience the stigmas and competitiveness of the dance. My unique responses to the film were a collaboration between Bess Kargman and myself. My life experiences, psychological make-up and ethics shaped my responses to Satoko, Michaela and Rebecca.
My life experiences with my mother influenced my reaction Satoko in First Position. My mother pushed me into cross country, a sport I abhor and try to constantly get out of. I enjoy running at home, by myself, but find
As an optimistic and ambitious person, I believe that if you look towards your future hoping and pushing yourself towards the best, you will achieve your best. For me, this is especially apparent in my desire to do well in school. In primary school, I was an average, if not terrible student. After receiving an extremely dismal report card, I pushed myself to work harder so I could achieve my dreams after school, and was then awarded the highest Academic Award. This experience shaped my belief that people should make the most of the opportunities presented to them by life. The cut-away during Michaela’s piece-to-camera, while telling her life story, showed a wide shot of her dancing in a studio, reinforcing that her devotion to dancing was as strong as her, and I accepted the invited reading of her strength as she always pushed herself for more. Additionally, a mid-shot of Michaela, pre-semi Finals, shows her to be saying that she “can’t be seen” because she is being judged for her skin colour rather than dancing abilities. The sombre mood of the scene, conveyed through a lack of light, made her devotion all the more remarkable, as she was willing to battle racism and social stigma’s to do what she