The Reality of a Dream
Goh Ballet · Short · 22 min · 2022
Director
Ryan Mah
An inspirational troupe of teens at Goh Ballet prepares for its biggest show of the year: The Nutcracker.
The story
Behind the finished performance of The Nutcracker are months of repetition, nerves and hard-won progress. The Reality of a Dream follows a group of young dancers training at Vancouver’s Goh Ballet as they prepare for their biggest production of the year.
From the rehearsal studio to the stage, the film captures the physical demands and emotional stakes of pursuing ballet professionally. Each dancer brings a different background and set of ambitions, while sharing the determination to turn years of training into a moment in the spotlight.
Set within an academy with a rich history and an international outlook, the film also looks forward: how will the next generation carry that legacy into the future, and make room for others to follow?
