POINTE BLACK

A no-holds-barred portrait of a ballerina finding form in a white-privileged world.

by Nowness

Marie-Astrid Mence has been a member of Ballet Black since 2014—a seminal dance company formed of Black and Asian performers who astound audiences with displays of balletic beauty and power. Mence’s journey to becoming their Senior Artist, however, had a turbulent beginning in her hometown of Paris. In this documentary profile directed by Rebecca Murray, Mence narrates the uncomfortable truths of her life as a ballerina and her struggles in an industry that fails to see past her skin color.

“This film highlights racism, body shaming and bullying,” says the director, who uses the omnipresent 'nude' pointe shoes as a stark visual metaphor for the limited opportunities Black dancers are given. “It runs through a rollercoaster of emotions, but we discover a beautiful, strong and talented lady.” Using prose and pirouettes, Mence deftly illuminates her experience, from adolescence to adulthood, of perfecting her skills in a white-privileged art.

Murray’s interest in this conversation began when she was training as a ballet dancer before becoming a filmmaker, and she noticed how homogenous her classmates were. “I noticed my peers were predominantly white and I felt the importance for change, inequality and diversity within ballet,” she says, “as there is and forever has been a limited amount of opportunities for black dancers.”

“This documentary is an eye-opener to the ballet industry and the lack of support for diversity,” says Murray, whose short reaches a denouement when Mence finally dons pointe shoes made for her skin tone. “Ballet is a very competitive art but everyone, but no matter your skin color or sexuality, everyone should stand an equal chance.”

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