As it often does, Curzon Mayfair is hosting a Q& A with a veteran filmmaker. This time it’s Frederick Wiseman and a screening of his documentary La Danse. What’s most remarkable about Wiseman’s unsentimental report on the Paris Opera Ballet and the Opera Bastille is the even-handedness with which he transmits the character of the institution. Shot in the autumn of 2007 over 12 weeks and 137 hours, Wiseman has captured everyone from the cleaners and handymen who unassumingly maintain the building to the premiere dancers, their imaginative choreographers, and the ballsy artistic director.

Using juxtaposition to penetrating effect throughout, he begins by infusing a series of banal cityscape shots and familiar images of Paris’ skyline with those of its unseen subterranean cavities in the form of dark, intriguing catacombs.

He continues by plaiting classic choreography fine tuned by legendary dancer Pierre Lacotte with the contemporary dances of Wayne McGregor; who embraces awkward and startling movement imbuing it with a seemingly impossible fluidity. He even takes care to contrast McGregors crisp English accent with the Lacotte’s lilting French as he and his Mrs, in a spectacular husband-wife showdown debate the heaviness of Suzanne Farrell’s heavy arse.

Among the stream of trite love-fest comments during the Q& A there were a few really good ones. Wiseman spoke about the hierarchy he encountered at the institution, where he had to explain the concept of his documentary three times to each class of dancers, so engrained is the class system. But he also explained the openness with which he was welcomed into all levels of the acclaimed institute that evidently has no illusions of grandeur. Rather it is deservedly proud of its stunning variety of productions and the hard work that goes into them.

La Danse runs at Curzon Mayfair and Curzon Richmond cinemas from 23rd until 29th April

Photo Credit: Charles Haynes