In April 2023, as she was saying goodbye to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Amy Sherman Palladino announced her next project: a series about the world of classical ballet. Yes, she, like me, loves a ballet shoe! At the time, the synopsis of the 8 episodes said that the series would show behind the scenes of two ballet companies – one French and one American – when they exchange their most talented stars in an ambitious business move. And the premiere date has arrived, which is confirmed for April 11 on Prime Video. (The second has already been ordered for 2027).

The series is the showrunner’s “love letter” to the world of dance, a second attempt after Bunheads had a short life on ABC Family in 2012. Bunheads revolved around a former Vegas showgirl turned small-town ballet teacher, here it’s 100% professionals.

Inspired by the documentary La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet, by Frederick Wiseman, which showed the daily lives of French dancers, added to the difficult years of the pandemic and budget cuts in companies worldwide, Amy created a story that combines all these elements.

Going through economic and artistic problems, the interim director of l’Opera Français and Le Ballet National, Geneviève (Charlotte Gainsbourg, who replaces Camille Cottin) proposes to Jack (Luke Kirby), executive director of the Metropolitan Ballet Theater in New York, a one-year exchange of their main talents and a strong marketing campaign to reinforce the name of both companies.

Amy, who is a trained ballerina, has an even greater frustration than the failure of Bunheads, which is the fact that no film or series (or few) has managed to capture the world of dance without transforming it into a horror scenario. For her, the drama for those who love this Art is the race against time: there are only a few years of career, few opportunities and any injury can bury years of training and dedication.

Although the story is dramatic, it will be virtually impossible not to have lightness because that is the Palladinos’ signature. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ran for five seasons on Prime Video and won no less than 22 Emmys (including one for Kirby), and 25 years ago, Gilmore Girls conquered the world.

With the premiere approaching, we will soon have a trailer. Who else is excited?

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