Sometimes a news story captivates my attention because it's so strange and unbelievable. And sometimes the story shines a spotlight on an otherwise foreign and unknown world.
Like professional ballet for instance. The movie Black Swan kind of gave us an intimate look into the world of ballet dancers; the beauty, but also the jealousy and ruthless deceit.
Now there is a real life story coming out of Russia that brings this world to the forefront. A world of intrigue, competitiveness and acid.
Acid?!?!?!? And ballet? What the...
On Thursday night, a masked man threw acid in the face of Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet. The attack has left him with third degree burns and possibly has threatened his eyesight. Supposedly he had been receiving numerous anonymous threats before this happenend.
The cops are trying to find a motive and are not ruling out disputes about money or property. But they are starting to focus on one main thing...professional jealousy. Apparently being the director gives you the power to make some difficult decisions (what grants artists get, who will dance certain roles etc.) And Sergei somewhere in his decision making really pissed an unstable person off.
When I think dance, ballet, theatre, my first thought is not violence and brutality. The fact that Filin's life was in jeopardy because he accepted the job as director of a Russian dance company seems preposterous.
But here we are, with a man lying in the hospital with burns to his face. Because of his job.
Maybe Black Swan wasn't so far off after all...
