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'Breaking Pointe' reveals no sacrifice is tutu much leaving Ballet West, she allows, "It was and is the hardest decision I have had to make in my life. Football and hockey When you start something players have deserved macho reputations, but for at the age of 3, it is not pure grit, try being a ballet just a career. It really is who I am." dancer. This season Ballet Mock if you must, but West is working on a The CW's "Breaking production of "Cinderella," Pointe," now in its second becoming only the second season on Mondays, ballet company allowed to proves how much athletidance it. Sklute was at the cism and determination it Joffrey when it became takes. The reality show follows the first. Each year, some 1,000 Ballet West, a nationally hopefuls audition for the celebrated company in 40 slots in the company. Salt Lake City. As the announcer says, the dancers The dancers become friends and date one an"train more hours than Olympic athletes and suf- other, but there is always the undercurrent of comfer shocking injuries." Like most reality shows, petition for roles. To get to the level this squanders time on where dancers can keep the inflamed drama of up with the company relationships, gossip and takes years of practice. sniping. It's so much betDancers take a daily ter when it concentrates 90-minute ballet class beon the dancers working. fore an all-day rehearsal. Artistic Director Adam And they work through Sklute says he hopes the show reveals "how compli- pain that would sideline cated and challenging our others. Seeing their dedication lives are, and they have a and how they work may greater respect for what help correct misconcepdancers go through, the tions about dancers. trials and tribulations of DeBona wants to deour lives. I like breaking bunk "the eating disorder down that wall. misconception," she says. "The mistake we make "I have the body that I is we spend all of our have, and I work eight lives trying to make evhours a day. I saw the erything look effortless," comments that I am anSklute continues. "I hope orexic. This also gives us it inspires people in any a platform to be a healthy walk of life. Instead of athlete. I could not dance people sitting around eight hours a day if I did throwing drinks in each not eat. We are all very, other's faces and pulling very smart athletes." each other's hair, these She also brings up "the are young people who are ensconced in a very, very gay thing," saying, "There are only two gays in our difficult and demanding company. It is just about art form and profession that they are committed to. doing what you love to do." Sklute says the biggest And hopefully that will inmisconception about balspire young people to relet, which the show can alize it is about that comhelp set right, is that ballet mitment and that drive." is strictly an effete art. Allison DeBona is one "Our culture is so of them. Last season, much was made of her re- sports-motivated," he says. "It is not a bad thing lationship with one of the - selling the athleticism of danseurs. In last week's what we do - and people premiere, the demi-solocan understand the rules ist talked about being of the game. They don't tired after a break. She's understand ballet. And considering moving to so getting them to underMichigan to be with her stand the athleticism of boyfriend. ballet, more people will Though DeBona says viewers will have to tune get drawn into it and apin to see if she is definitely preciate the art form." By Jacqueline Cutler © Zap2it 2 The Goshen News • TV Spotlight • July 29-August 4, 2013 Allison DeBona stars in "Breaking Pointe" airs Mondays on The CW.

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