UPDATE: This story was written when a trailer for "En Pointe" was publicly available on Vimeo. After it was posted, the video was made private and now requires a password to see.
Last July, Miami City Ballet announced it would be the star of a new ballet reality show, "En Pointe." Although there's no word yet on when it will air, the trailer was just released.
The company was filmed on the eve of their 25th season, after a critically-acclaimed summer stint in Paris.
The drama centers around artistic director Edward Villella, who refers to himself as "the big boss."
His commanding/intimating presence is underscored by his own daughter, Crista, who is the MCB Ballet Mistress. As she puts it, "when you get in trouble with him, you get in big trouble with him."
"En Pointe" includes shots of bloody, taped toes and testimonials about the tough life of a professional dancer.
One company dancer remarks, "Have you seen Black Swan? That happens all the time. It really does," referring to the violent psychosis of the young rising star played by Natalie Portman.
The crux of "En Pointe'"s drama, however, revolves around the company's money trouble. While on the phone, Villella describes his predicament: "It's always hard to raise to money. Now that we are at this level, we need more."
Despite the palm tree graphics and LMFAO soundtrack, "En Pointe" appears to be more documentary than sensational reality show. It manages to capture the company's actual drama as it turns the corner into its uncertain future.
As Villella notes, "We have achieved so much artistically, but sooner or later you run out of smoke and mirrors. We're at that point."