Natalie Portman plays a traumatised ballet dancer in Black Swan, which has scooped four SAG nominations. Photo: Fox Searchlight Natalie Portman plays a traumatised ballet dancer in Black Swan, which has scooped four SAG nominations. Photo: Fox Searchlight
A host of ballet-inspired films has sparked a rush for all things dance related, from catwalk fashion to its High Street equivalent.
The buzz around ballet has been growing ever since Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
The film, which opens in the UK later this month, required Portman to train up to eight-hours-a-day for a year to master the role.
Ballet teachers are reporting record demand for adult ballet lessons - and they expect interest to soar further.
Fashion label Rodarte designed the costumes for Black Swan, helping ballet-inspired looks to move beyond cinema and on to the catwalk.
Karl Lagerfeld dotted his Chanel spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection with tutu skirts and plume-infused fabrics. And online retailers Lipsy and Asos are among those to have reinterpreted the trend for the High Street.
Adidas has even enlisted a dancer with the Berlin State Ballet Company to be a brand ambassador and has developed a figure-hugging new clothing line.
In the pop world, Cheryl Cole has a ballet theme to one of her videos.
Adults are turning to ballet classes as a source of creative and effective exercise.
Emily Blunt, who plays a ballet dancer in the film Adjustment Bureau, released in March, said learning ballet got her into “the best shape of her life”.
In spite of adding extra classes, ballet companies cannot keep pace with demand.
Many council-funded leisure centres are increasingly putting dance on their syllabus.
“Women love it because it either evokes childhood memories, or helps them create those memories if they didn't get to dance,” said ballet teacher Sonya Pettigrew.
“They buy the whole outfit - pink tights, leotard and skirts - even 40-year-olds.
“We always get a big influx of absolute beginners with each new course. Even the men who come for really male classes, like breakdance or hip-hop, all end up taking ballet at one time or another.”
Nationally, professional ballet companies are also benefiting from the renewed interest.
Sadler's Wells has had a strong season with Matthew Bourne's Cinderella, while the English National Ballet's new Nutcracker has also proved popular.
The Victoria & Albert Museum's Diaghilev exhibition will have had more than 100,000 visitors when it closes on Sunday. - Belfast Telegraph