-[applause] -[scattered booing]
[speaking French] Shame on you!
Shame!
Traitors!
[scattered jeering]
Oh, shit.
-[Raphael] Tobias, Tobias... -Gabin, wait.
It’s just one night.
-[gasps] -Opening night!
The most important night!
There is no other night!
[Geneviève] Gabin, stop!
Yes, please stop attacking the theater.
It’s 150 years old. It’s not a fair fight.
-[clattering] -Go see if Tobias is breathing.
Look, every audience is different.
-Tomorrow’s might be - -Tomorrow? God.
-I have to do this again! -Stop.
You need those feet.
They’re an important prerequisite for every dancer in this company.
-[clattering] -Tobias left.
-Ah, stay with him. -Oh, good, thanks,
’cause I have nothing better to do on a Saturday night.
Will you stop?
Tobias!
Talk to me.
Can’t now. I have to go home.
The volume on the music was too low.
The volume was perfect.
But it was too warm in there, too, and that’s my fault.
The temperature was fine.
It wasn’t the temperature.
Should I let him through, Madame?
Non. It was the lighting.
-The lighting was - -The lighting was perfect!
Everything was perfect and exactly how I wanted it.
Don’t go like this.
Come on, let’s get a drink.
I have to go home, okay?
I have to feed my goldfish.
-Your goldfish? -Did I tell you I got a goldfish?
I don’t think I did. I got a goldfish.
It could be dead.
If I go home and the fish is dead, I’ll have to move.
You’ll have to move if your fish dies?
I’ll have to move because I can’t be somewhere
where I murdered a fish.
I-I-I won’t be able to sleep at night.
I’ll see the fish in my dreams, so I have to go home and feed the fish.
Don’t worry, we’ll talk after I’ve fed the fish
or maybe after I go apartment hunting tomorrow
because the fish is already dead.
So we’ll talk after I go apartment hunting,
after I bury the fish.
I can’t have pets!
Tobias, the piece was great.
It was...
amazing.
-[♪ Sons of Raphael play “Nights Are For Love”] -♪ When the setting sun departs ♪
♪ the night begins in lovers’ hearts ♪
♪ Waiting for the moon to rise ♪
♪ towards the stars ♪
♪ they lift their eyes ♪
♪ Nights are ♪
♪ for love ♪
♪ as stars are for the heavens above ♪
♪ In every moon, there is a light ♪
♪ for those who love ♪
♪ Nights are ♪
♪ for love ♪
♪ as stars are for the heavens above ♪
♪ In every moon, there is a light ♪
♪ for those who love ♪♪
[overlapping chatter]
[Eva] Your hamstrings need some love.
They’ll snap, you know.
Certainly don’t want that.
Got to keep my hammies happy.
[laughter]
[Eva] Careful. Don’t overdo it.
[Crispin] Don’t you worry about me.
These hips were made by Halliburton.
What are you doing here?
What is he doing here? What are you doing here?
Just stretching, dear étoile.
Gabbing with the girls.
You shouldn’t be here.
This is a serious class for serious people.
But I’m in no one’s way, dear.
You won’t even know I’m here.
I’ll know.
I’ve taken class in Paris.
It’s fine.
I’m also fine with you taking class in Paris.
-Cheyenne - -One of us
is not going to be taking this class in 5 minutes.
[thunder crashes]
That wasn’t me.
That was just rain.
Cheyenne,
it would be extremely embarrassing
for me to leave the class now.
My water bottle is
all the way on the other side of the room.
[zips bag]
[thunder rumbling]
Begin.
[robotic voice] The dancers struggled to make sense
of the chaotic choreography,
a disjointed series
of awkward lifts and jarring transitions.
It’s painful to watch these talented individuals
bailing water from a sinking ship.
This highly anticipated debut
is unfortunately a disaster
for choreographer Tobias Bell.
A disaster for choreographer Tobias Bell.
A disaster
for choreographer Tobias Bell.
-[♪ Above Charted Waters play “Grace Period (Underscore)”] -[vocalist screaming]
[energetic orchestral music playing]
[Nicholas] Heads down.
And up.
Yes, very good.
L.J., turn that leg out.
Just here to watch the magic happen.
[Nicholas] Yes.
Excellent, and up.
Wonderful, everyone.
Take some water, hit your vapes,
go be young
but not too young.
[chuckles]
It’s just as beautiful as the first time I saw it.
Oh, it is, isn’t it?
It would be a great moment to go out on.
Don’t start this again.
I beg you, Jack, please?
We go through this ridiculous charade every year.
You say you can’t, I say the whole foundation crumbles without you,
then you come to your senses
and sign on for another year of our beautiful friendship.
It’s just that, this work of mine,
it’s begun to take a toll on me physically.
What are you talking about, Nicholas?
You’re in your prime.
I’ve never had to use
a scooty-scooter before.
-And you’re faster than ever. -[sighs]
All right, you got me chasing you all over the building.
I want to sit on a porch
and look at the water.
I’ve been to your apartment. You’ve got a fantastic
partial view of the Hudson right out your bathroom window.
In Connecticut with my dog.
-You don’t have a dog. -I bought one
as a retirement present to myself.
His name is Tendu.
I’m having him trained as we speak.
I don’t know how they do it, but I gave them a list of traits
I’d like him to have, and he’s arriving from Japan next week.
He might be 3D printed.
It’s unclear.
Bring your dog to work. Everybody else does.
They’re not programming Tendu for work.
They’re programming him for leisure.
To fetch a ball
that someone else will have to throw,
and nap at my feet.
I want to have that moment while I still have feet.
From the first day I took this job, you were here.
I’d be completely lost without you.
We’re a team.
A great team.
The greatest.
But, old friend...
it’s time.
You know what?
I agree, it is time...
for me to leave this conversation.
-[groans] -Think of a number and it’s yours.
Jack!
You can’t leave me, pal.
This whole place falls apart without you, and so do I.
I’ll get an office for the dog.
[groans]
[French music playing softly]
What?
Last night was Monday.
And today is Tuesday. So?
There was no Monday night man last night.
He didn’t call.
Why not?
I don’t know. Who cares.
I’m a boring old woman.
He’s an idiot.
Maybe he’s dead.
You know, I was thinking something.
It’s the meat. It was in the sun.
Maybe I’ll go on your rounds with you tomorrow morning.
The boy is not there on Wednesdays...
The...Oh. No, I... This wasn’t about...
[chuckles]
You still want to go?
Non.
[laughs]
[phone chimes]
Hey, what are you up to Thursday night?
[Cheyenne] Développé. Stop. Stop.
Very good, girls. That was better.
Boys, you need to know something.
There will be times when you just feel like a part of the scenery.
Like a pole or a barre, only there to serve a woman.
When you feel like that, you must remember that’s true.
Embrace it.
You are like a support beam in the ceiling.
You don’t see it, you don’t think about it,
but without it, the house would fall down.
Do you all understand?
[students] Yes, Madame.
Okay, from the top.
Jack, you do not interrupt class unless one of these kids’ parents died.
All of your parents are fine. Will you just come?
Work on your timing.
What are you doing?
I’m training future cafeteria workers and mailmen.
There may even be a dancer or two in there. Unlikely.
-What happened to Ms. Deena? -She became oversensitive and left.
Why do I think there’s more to this story?
There isn’t. I told her she’s not adequate.
That hurt her feelings for some reason, she began to cry,
which was distracting, and so I asked her to leave.
You are not a... [sighs] Okay.
We’ll discuss this later. Right now I need you to tell me
what exactly happened with Crispin Shamblee.
-Why? -Because I’ve been emailed,
texted, and called by 3 different assistants
telling me he wants to speak to you immediately.
-But I’m teaching a class. -You’re not a teacher.
I think all those deli slicers and parking attendants would disagree.
You know what? I don’t care what happened.
He’s in the building, and I can’t keep hiding from him.
I have a company to run, so you need to go and deal with this right now.
-I don’t want to. -I don’t want to, either.
Fantastic. No one talks to him.
Cheyenne, would you please just take this one goddamn thing off my plate?
[Cheyenne] Positions.
[car horns honking]
-[girl 1] Wait, is that her? -[girl 2] It’s Cheyenne Toussaint.
-[girl 3] That’s her. -[girl 4] Oh, my God, oh, my God.
-Ms. Toussaint. -Ms. Toussaint.
[overlapping chatter]
Aw, seriously?
Yes? You summoned me, no?
-[girl] So cool. -[cameras clicking]
I am sorry I made you walk to your water bottle.
Next time keep it closer. It will be less humiliating when you leave.
You know, for such a brilliant dancer,
I often wonder how you can be so stupid.
Going after me yesterday,
your little speech that night at the gala -
mistake, my dear Toussaint.
I’m a supporter, a fan, a friend.
And you need friends, Cheyenne,
especially ones with...
Are they bothering you?
-It’s fine. -I’d rather you weren’t distracted.
[watch beeps]
All right, time to go.
-Scram. -I always have security in orbit,
especially so soon after a taking.
-Are we done? -No, we are not done.
You’ve said plenty, now you will listen.
-I have rehearsal in - -In 10 minutes. I know.
-How do you know? -I’m a man who knows a lot of things.
And in my pursuit of knowledge, I keep a file on everyone in my life.
Some files are big, some files are small.
Any interest at all in knowing the size of your file?
-No. -It’s enormous.
Pages and pages of notes, scribblings,
some amusing pictures, but others -
You are lying. Where is this? Show me this file.
I know everything about you, Cheyenne,
everything about your life, your career,
every role you’ve ever danced,
every place you’ve ever lived,
every law you’ve ever broken,
every man you’ve ever bedded.
That is, I will admit, the largest part of the file.
I like men. So what?
It’s the sheer number of romantic entanglements
that’s astounding.
It nearly rivals that of your accolades as a dancer.
You called me here to remind me I’m desirable.
I’m flattered.
Luka, François, Juan, Andrew Stanfield,
Andrew Borden, Fernando, Noah, Gustav,
-Oscar, Ethan, Robbie, Oliver... -Are you trying to shame me? I am not.
Jack.
And now Gael. I’m very curious to see how that one turns out.
You should see his file, by the way.
Ask Jack about it. He knows.
What is your elderly man point, Crispin?
My point, dear étoile, is, if you want to play,
I’ll play.
But warning:
I don’t play fair.
So take a little advice.
Don’t shit where you eat.
[watch beeps]
[homeless man] Red Oak is on the move.
[indistinct chatter]
Madame, I am sorry, but a group of unruly dancers has formed around my desk,
and they are insisting that they see you.
All dancers are unruly, Lucien.
These are obnoxiously unruly. And very pushy.
Some are pocketing my office supplies.
Hey, stop that! Stop that right now!
Just let them in.
[indistinct chatter]
Ms. Lavigne, we demand your ear.
Then, like the great Vincent van Gogh,
I shall give it to you. How may I help?
She hasn’t been here. We’ve been here.
[all grumbling]
-Who hasn’t been here? -The “nee-po” baby!
-“Nee-po” baby? -What’s a “nee-po” baby?
There are rules. There are traditions.
We’ve all been working here for years,
and then Mishi bourrées in and takes everything.
Gamzatti, a new piece with Alain, the good makeup mirror.
Okay, everyone just calm down.
The Americans got everything,
including our greatest étoile. And what did we get?
We got a “nee-po” baby and a weirdo in headphones.
Well, that weirdo is the hottest choreographer in the United States.
Then he should stay there.
People walked out of his ballet.
It was the worst reviewed show at the National in 10 years.
And what about Vanessa?!
Vanessa, the costumer? What about her?
Always putting the corps in matronly costumes to make the Prima look better.
It’s my sister’s wedding all over again!
I will not wear peach!
Peach does not look good on me or anyone!
People, please, one complaint at a time.
[Tasha speaking Russian] No, Geneviève!
Every issue is as important as the next!
If it’s important to one, it’s important to all!
What’s that? What-what are you speaking?
When Tasha gets angry, she speaks Russian.
-She can’t help it. -[Geneviève] Look,
Mishi trained here.
She was born here. She’s one of us.
She’s not one of us.
We gave you our trust and you betrayed us,
so you’ve left us no choice.
No choice but what?
We’ve ordered cardboard.
And wooden sticks.
And we will strike if we have to.
People, wait.
Actually, we haven’t ordered the wooden sticks yet.
We’re waiting to see what the cardboard looks like.
We have wooden sticks in our shopping basket,
and we are this close
-to clicking “Purchase.” -[Geneviève] Hold on -
We also have pens!
That you stole! Those are my pens.
Well, you take our parts for the “nee-po” baby, we take your pens.
-[crowd] Yeah! -Enough!
Enough!
Do you not see the problems we face here?
Do you not see where the pandemic and all the financial downturns put us?
Does your world not extend beyond yourselves?
Beyond this building?
And didn’t one of you think to shower before you all crammed into my office?
Madame, the showers are seriously lacking.
Oh, shut up, Chloe. Go ahead,
make your signs.
One hammer and one nail,
that’s all it will take to put you all in the emergency room.
Oh, and one other thing, it’s not “nee-po” baby.
It’s nepo baby.
If you want to throw around insults, pronounce them correctly.
Now get out of my office.
The adult has work to do.
Go on. It’s nap time. Everybody grab a cookie and get out!
Well said. [clears throat]
Madame, they-they have just taken all my cookies.
I made them specifically for office staff.
Please, not now.
[exhales sharply]
[L.J. laughs] I feel like I need you to go grocery shopping with me.
Yeah, if it’s not in season, don’t eat it.
It’s either gonna taste like shit
or it’s been shipped in halfway across the planet.
But what if I just have to have a strawberry in July?
-Yeah, well - -Fascinating question.
Come. Go.
What are you doing?
I don’t know, talking?
This is a place of work.
Yes, I know that.
Fruit flirting is not work.
Wow. You’re in a mood today.
I’m not in a mood. This is my mood.
Okay.
Strawberries are a stupid fruit.
-What? -They go bad almost immediately
and they are terrible in a pie.
-Why are you mad? -I thought we were meeting in the studio.
Yes, at 3:00.
I went there. You weren’t there. Am I supposed to wait?
-It’s 10 to 3:00. -You can’t get there in 10 minutes.
I can’t get 12 feet in 10 minutes? I think I can.
It’s more than 12 feet.
Cheyenne, why are you acting like a lunatic?
Oh, because I am a woman, I am crazy?
No, no, no, no. Y-You’re crazy because you’re crazy.
I am a professional.
I don’t make my partner wait while I explain to idiots
why you don’t buy fruit out of season
or why you don’t put your hand on a furnace
or sleep outside naked in a snowstorm.
Yes, but...
Did you like that?
[chuckles] Yes.
-I’m not your toy. -I never said you were.
Okay, I’m-I’m confused.
I need to ask permission to kiss you?
-Give you advance notice? -Wait a minute.
-You’re jealous. -I’m not jealous.
-You seem it. -No, you seem it.
Wow, this is wild.
Hey, look, I’m, I’m flattered.
Don’t you dare be flattered. I mean it.
I’m not jealous. I don’t care about your file.
-My file? -Your past, your women.
-I don’t care. -Okay.
You don’t care about mine either.
Not in the least.
There have been many, many men.
Great. Safety in numbers.
Hey. [stammers] Where are you going? We’re supposed to rehearse.
You rehearse. I’m perfect.
Work on the lift. You mess it up every time.
I can’t do a lift without something to lift.
Hey!
[sighs]
[phone buzzing]
Hello?
Hi, Mishi. Uh, I meant to call earlier.
We found somewhere for you.
Somewhere? What do you mean, “somewhere?”
We found you a new place to live.
-Oh. -It’s closer to the theater.
You’ll like it.
Well, I-I think you’ll like it.
You can wear white again.
Well, I -
Oh, uh, hold on.
Madame Lavigne...
[speaking French] The minister is ready to see you.
Thank you.
Uh, I’ve to go.
I’ll have Lucien send you the details. Bye.
[disconnect tone beeps]
Hello, Madame Minister.
Gentlemen.
Thank you for seeing me.
Beautiful day out.
Well?
-Pardon? -Are you going to sit?
I was waiting for you to sit.
Like I’m some inbred queen? Just sit, Geneviève.
So...
We hear there are unhappy rumblings.
-Rumblings? -At Le Ballet National.
There’s word that your dancers confronted you.
That they were angry.
That they ordered sticks.
To make signs.
For a strike.
They didn’t order sticks. No-no.
They just put them in a basket.
An online basket.
A cart, that’s the word.
They’re on the brink of revolt.
That’s what we hear.
Making demands...
Yes, but you know what Simone De Beauvoir said about those who make demands...
-No. -What did she say?
You know, my mind went blank.
Just like that. I had it then lost it. But it’s a great quote.
Most of the time we can write off unhappy dancers to
artistic temperament, but in this case, I understand -
they lose the leadership of Cheyenne Toussaint, a major blow,
then there’s the disastrous public reception to this American choreographer.
I saw his piece. It is very strange.
Listen,
you have all worked in the arts a long time.
You understand that artists always get fired up
over perceived wrongs.
It usually blows over, with no harm done.
-Is that so? -Absolutely, yes.
-This thing with Mishi is just a - -Mishi?
What about Mishi?
Well, Mishi...She was one of the issues.
We didn’t hear that. There was no mention of Mishi.
We heard that you yelled at them. And told them to suck their thumbs.
[snickers]
I did not. But that would have been a good line to use.
Geneviève, here’s the bottom line - we cannot afford a strike right now.
Of course we can’t...
Quash it. Quick.
I’ll do what I can.
And returning to this Tobias Bell -
this profane piece of his.
It wasn’t profane...
He’s too American for this company.
His next piece needs to appeal to our loyal patrons.
Rather than no one.
More traditional music...
-Prokofiev. -Tchaikovsky.
With violins. No more tuba solos.
It wasn’t a solo, it was -
Are you hearing this, Ms. Lavigne?
Are you hearing what we’re saying?
-I am. -I want tutus everywhere.
Lovely girls in tutus.
If he can do that, great. If he can’t, bench him!
Yes, Madame.
And there will be other changes to come.
I think you know that.
Now,
let’s discuss your program for the latter half of the year.
We need another showcase event to make up for all this damage.
Something appropriate...
[indistinct chatter]
See you guys there.
We’re getting a drink. Are you coming?
I’m tired. I should sleep. Ice my knee...
Right. So, see you there?
Absolutely.
[laughter]
[indistinct chatter]
[pop music playing faintly]
Oh, hey.
-Hi. -Hi.
I didn’t recognize you without your fishing pole.
-I left it on the Métro. -It happens.
Hey, everyone! This is Mishi! Everyone say hello to Mishi!
I met Mishi while fishing.
Ah...So that’s why you hang out with all those old guys.
Don’t be rude. English, please, for Sofia.
Sorry, Sofia. She’s Swedish. Speaks no French.
We only speak French when we’re trashing her.
You know, I can tell when you’re talking about me. You point.
[chuckles] Do you speak English?
Yes, I do.
Of course, you were in New York.
Mishi is a genius dancer. You should see her TikTok.
Oh, like a backup dancer?
No, ballet. At Le Ballet National.
People still ballet?
Yes, Hugo, people still ballet.
What’s your Insta?
Mishi Duplessis.
I thought ballet died with Degas.
You should really shut up, Hugo.
I know when I’m not wanted.
-All right. -Back in a minute.
Wow, a-all your pictures are of you dancing,
but do you have a finsta or something?
-A what? -Like a personal Instagram?
For your actual life?
Oh. No.
[bartender speaks French]
Thank you, thank you. Voilà, voilà, voilà, voilà.
Oh, do you drink beer?
Totally. Yeah.
-You hate it. -No.
-You do. -I’ve never really tried it.
What do you want? I’ll get you something else.
I’m fine. This is great.
Well, for next round, what would you have ordered?
This is totally fine.
You promise?
-Yes. -You swear?
Yes.
♪ ♪
So, why do you hang out with old people?
I work with one of the guys at Les Puces, the flea market.
His stall is next to your grandmother’s.
-Oh, Bruna is not my grandmother. -No?
Okay, so why do you hang out with old people, then?
I live with her,
like a roommate, sort of,
-but old. -Oh. Weird.
But cool.
When did you live in New York?
Oh, I still do. Well, kind of.
I’m just back temporarily.
I’ve never been to New York, but I’m dying to go.
So, do you listen to hip-hop?
Why are you asking this, Jules?
What did I miss?
Because New York City is the birthplace of hip-hop.
-Oh, Jules talking about hip-hop. -Mm-hmm.
-I missed nothing. -Mm-hmm.
We stayed in Gowanus for a week when we went to New York,
-and now he won’t shut up about it. -Where?
Gowanus. In Brooklyn?
-Oh, right. Yeah. Gowanus. -[Jules] Who do you like?
-Run the Jewels? Busta Rhymes? -[Timeo] Jules,
time’s up on the question-and-answer portion of this evening.
What’s your favorite part of Brooklyn? I loved Brooklyn Heights.
I’ve actually never been to Brooklyn.
You’ve never been to Brooklyn?
-How is that possible? -It’s kind of far from me.
-Where are you? -Upper West Side.
Isn’t the Upper West Side of Manhattan, like, 4 miles from Brooklyn?
-I don’t know. Is it? -Well, here’s proof
that Timeo does more than catching fish.
-[Timeo] Do not show her that. -[Sofia] Too late.
Okay, thanks, Sofia. First impressions are important, so put that away.
-[laughter] -Ignore them,
-please. -What is that place?
It’s an abandoned sanatorium in Seine-Saint-Denis.
-We dared Timeo to climb to the top. -And he fell for it.
-Literally. -Yeah. Look.
-Ooh! -Oh, my God.
-He’s really skilled at climbing. -Less so at coming back down.
Okay, thank you for making me look like I belong in that sanatorium.
Hey, Timeo, what’s the name of, uh, that Les Jeunes Républicains kid
from, uh, Comparative Politics?
Who threatened to sue me for laughing at him?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. [chuckles] -Okay. Uh...
-Excuse me, I’ll be right back. -Okay.
-What’s his name? -No. Gervais? [laughs]
-Oh, yeah, right. Good job. -[laughs]
♪ I’m comin’ soon, hit you with a boom, give me some room ♪
♪ You people had enough? Gimme some more, you people... ♪♪
[pop music playing faintly in bar]
“Brooklyn is a borough of New York...
“Most populated borough...
“Named after the Dutch...
“Bordered by Greenpoint to the north, the East River to the west,
Coney Island to the south.”
Now listen to me. 222 million euros.
PSG can afford to spend what they earn.
Timeo, 222 million.
But they never would have attracted investors
if they hadn’t had talent in the first place.
-[Anais] That’s not the point. -It’s not just money falling from the sky.
-[Anais] That’s not the point! -[Hugo] Oh, my God.
[Timeo] Whether or not you can justify the money,
which you can’t, we’re saying
that the game is ruined, because there is no game now.
So, I just remembered something about Brooklyn
that I know from living in New York.
Brooklyn is actually, technically,
the third biggest city in the United States,
if it was its own city, which it used to be, back in the 1800s.
Okay.
I thought that was interesting.
Yeah? Yeah, right, that’s cool.
-That’s cool, right? -Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Its own city? I didn’t know that.
It’s larger than Atlanta, Boston and Washington, D.C. combined.
Yeah. Hugo, are you still going to D.C. next year for that conference?
[Hugo] Uh, I’m waiting to find out. I think
they think I’m going to blow it off and go to American parties.
-Which you are. -Which I am. [laughs]
[overlapping chatter, laughter]
[laughter]
I think I have to go. I have an early class.
Really? We-we barely got to talk.
Sorry. I called an Uber. He’s already here.
Where? O-Out front?
I think around the corner.
I got a bad rating last time, so I should go.
-Can I have the rest of your beer? -Oh, sure.
Classy. [clicks tongue]
-I’ll walk you out. -No, I’m fine.
-You sure? -Yes.
Thank you for inviting me.
Thank you for accepting my invitation.
Bye.
[horns honking]
[gentle piano music playing]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
-[♪ Elton John sings “Grey Seal”] -♪ Why is it never light on my lawn? ♪
♪ Why does it rain and never say “Good day” to the new-born? ♪
-Hi. Do you have a reservation? -No.
♪ On the big screen they showed us the sun...
[crowd chatter]
Whiskey, neat, on my tab.
We don’t run tabs here, Cheyenne.
[Jack speaking quietly]
[Jack] There’s so much overlap.
I know bureaucracy as well as you do.
I answer to a board, you answer to the mayor -
Uh, will you excuse me, gentlemen?
I will be right back.
-You looking for me? -No. Why?
There are a million bars in New York City. You just happen to walk into mine?
This one has cheesy cracker snacks. Plus, it’s where I have my tab.
We don’t run tabs, Cheyenne.
What’s wrong?
What’s wrong is that I want a drink, and Billy is playing games.
Ah. Don’t look at me like that.
I am fine. Go back to your Illuminati meeting.
That happens to be the deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department.
-[snores] -And-and the city comptroller.
It’s impossible to get a sit-down with either of them,
-and I’ve got both of them at - -[snoring]
But you are one of my most important dancers,
so I will let them sit there and wait.
All of my focus is on you.
I’m serious. You’re paying for that.
I’ve got it, Billy.
You’re welcome.
I don’t want to talk to Crispin anymore, ever.
Do not ask me.
Why? What happened?
He told me not to eat in the bathroom.
Well, generally, that’s good advice.
He told me he knows things.
He’s got files, and he knows things.
-He knows about Gael. -So does everyone.
There isn’t a flat surface in that building you two haven’t used.
I don’t know.
Gael has others.
-What? -I think.
Perhaps.
Who cares?
He was talking to one of them.
So?
Wait. Are you jealous?
No, of course not.
That’s impossible.
She just - that girl never finishes a turn clean, ever.
Holy shit, you’re jealous.
No. I just don’t want her sloppy turns to rub off on him.
Cheyenne, are you and Gael in a-a relationship?
I mean, not just a my-couch thing, but an actual relationship?
No. No, no relationship.
This is not jealousy.
This is that man, Crispin.
He did a fuck in my mind so I would do this, think this.
He planted thoughts.
He is an evil gardener.
I hate him. She can’t dance.
I am not jealous.
I’ll never pay. Never.
-You don’t stretch anymore? -I stretch when I need to.
Listen.
I’m gonna cut to the chase here.
If you fuck this up, I’m going to fucking kill you.
Jesus, Jack. Okay, I’ll start stretching.
I mean it. This company’s not a smorgasbord.
-What are you talking about? -You are here because of Cheyenne.
Do not fuck with her. Figure out your feelings.
Figure out my feelings?
Yes, Mr. “I pose on Instagram standing on a camel’s back.”
-Wait. You follow me on Instagram? -What?
No.
Yes. Everyone follows everyone on Instagram.
-No, they don’t. -Yes, they do.
-Why are you so obsessed with me? -I’m not obsessed with you.
Maybe you need to figure out your feelings.
Do you want to have dinner?
-See where this goes? -[phone buzzing]
-[instructor] One minute, everyone. -Class is starting. You mind?
And now I haven’t stretched. Shit.
Hey, there. What’s up?
[Geneviève] I got fired.
What? Why?
Well, let’s see.
The dancers are openly revolting.
My audience hated Tobias’s piece.
I gave Cheyenne away.
I didn’t compliment Cléa on her very subtle haircut.
She sounds overly sensitive.
It’s not fair.
No, it’s not. You are great at your job.
I am great at my job.
They’re lucky to have me.
If they can’t see that, they are idiots.
They are idiots.
They don’t notice the amazing things I’ve done.
I mean, do they ever mention that I cut front-of-the-house overtime in half?
Do they mention that I turned a profit in the last 3 years,
in the holiday season, without the fucking Nutcracker?
-Okay, no need to get nasty. -People here
still go to the opera, Jack.
The opera. The cast sings the entire time,
often in a language no one speaks, but the house is full.
Okay, there was one incident with the bull.
Uh-huh.
But there was also a goat that
behaved perfectly.
No one thanks me for the goat. It’s just, “You’re fired.”
And they definitely said the words “You’re fired?”
No, of course not.
That’s not how government works.
They never say, “You’re fired.” They say, “Changes are coming.”
And the next thing you know, your swiper card won’t work.
She hates me.
She’s always hated me.
Even before I cut Mishi, she hated me.
She’s a dick.
She made fun of my skirt once in the cafeteria.
Okay, now it’s sounding a little high school.
Pointed and laughed.
She snickered. Snickered.
Fuck her. Quit.
What?
Quit. We’ll find something else for you.
Why on earth would I quit?
-Because you’re about to be fired. -Who says?
-You did. -She never said, “You’re fired.”
She said, “Changes are coming.”
Which you said is the same thing.
Well, it’s not the same thing.
Okay, I’m beginning to think that really was a terrible skirt.
I’m just saying, maybe I can turn things around.
Okay.
They could fall in love with me all over again.
I have unique charms.
Absolutely.
Pierre, no skateboarding in the house!
A million times I’ve told you. A million.
That’s more than a hundred.
-I know a million is more than a hundred! -Well, who can tell!
Are you ever leaving? Or are you just going to lie in bed all day?
I’ve got to go.
My sister is about to ground me. She’s a dick.
I’m 48, Leonor. I’m a big girl and I’ll do what I want.
You’re 49.
No, I’m not. I’m 48.
-I’m 45. -I don’t care what you are.
I’m 48 and I can stay in bed if I want.
It’s my bedroom.
When you were a child. It’s not your bedroom anymore. It’s not your house.
Half of it is.
[skateboard rolling on floor]
Pierre, if you’re skateboarding downstairs I’m sending you to barber college!
No!
-Yes! -I won’t go!
You lock with a deadbolt, like we are thieves?
I lock it so you won’t sell my things and put one of the kids in there.
If we are thieves, we’re bad thieves, because we have nothing.
I am 2 paychecks away from being out on the streets.
Oh, don’t be dramatic.
You have this house, which you were not supposed to have.
Maman left it to both of us.
Maman was demented at the end.
She thought she was the blonde girl in ABBA.
Ah. She always liked to sing.
You got the silver candlesticks, Geneviève. Don’t complain.
Candlesticks aren’t remotely the same as a house.
A house is a nightmare.
Great. I’ll trade you.
You can deal with Cléa and screaming dancers,
and I’ll mow the lawn.
Leave now. I need to work.
I’m just drinking coffee in my half of the kitchen.
This is not a kitchen. This is my workspace.
Only because you won’t go to the office.
We only go to the office 3 days a week.
No, you have to go to the office at least 3 days a week.
You could go to the office every day.
I am done talking.
Maybe I’ll start going to the office 3 days a week
and work from here the other 2.
Half of this table is mine.
Let’s pretend this is a café.
Take that to go.
Come again soon.
I will until we sell the house.
And don’t hire a real estate agent without me.
-[door opens, closes] -[skateboard rolls on floor]
Pierre! Learn these words -
“Would you like a shave with your trim, sir?”
[door closes]
The dog bit me.
Simi bit you?
Mm-hmm.
I stepped on him first, so it’s fair.
Geneviève called.
Mm-hmm?
They found a place for me.
To live.
Okay.
I’d rather stay here.
[objects clattering]
How was the boy?
I’m a boring old woman, too.
[chuckles softly]
[doorbell rings]
[elevator dings in distance]
[doorbell rings]
[Tobias] I’m not home!
You answered, so I know you’re home.
-Tobias. -Go away!
Open up. I brought you something.
Unless it’s vegetarian dandan noodles from Han Dynasty on 85th,
I’m not interested.
I have reviews here.
Much better than Le Monde.
Let me show you.
Fine. I’ll read them to you.
Says something very nice in this one.
“Tobias Bell is the choreographer.”
That isn’t nice. That’s just journalism.
There are others. Read them.
-One of them really liked the costumes. -Who cares?
Nothing makes up for this.
[robotic voice] “A disaster for choreographer Tobias Bell.”
See? He called me a choreographer, too.
Tobias, let me in.
Tobias!
[quietly] Open the door. Now.
You’re still in your tuxedo?
Everything’s fine, Colette.
Yes, Colette, everything’s fine, except your psychotic neighbor here
is wearing a 6-day-old tuxedo he was supposed to return 5 days ago,
and now he owes the rental place €300.
-No. -Yes.
This just gets worse and worse.
-Tobias! -Go away!
I need to call the rental place!
You can’t stay locked inside forever!
Are you kidding me? I’ve been training for this moment my entire life!
It was one night!
Opening night.
The most important night.
-I know, damn it. -It was horrible!
Yeah, the absolute worst.
I’ve never experienced anything like that before.
I keep hearing the no-applause applause over and over.
I know. I was there.
On stage.
[quietly] It’s so terrible.
[sighs]
300 euros.
[sighs]
I want to do something to that critic.
Sever his fingers slowly and put them in jars in the fridge?
What? No. God, that’s crazy.
Why would you say that?
It’s what came to mind.
I want to find his address
and smash his windows like he smashed my opening night.
Smash the very window he sat next to when he wrote that review.
-What is that? -A rock.
This man sits at his desk on his ass with his poison pen writing bullshit
just because he can, like he’s God.
“You can live, you can die. You can dance, you...no.
Go stand in the back holding a vase like a statue.
No one will ever notice you or see you ever
because I have decided that is the way it will be.”
Where did you get a rock?
I always have a rock.
You just walk around Paris with a giant rock?
Look, I live way outside of the city.
You have to walk around with a giant rock at all times.
So many cultural differences.
We have to do something.
This can’t stand. At the very least, we go over there
and demand he tell us why he wrote those things.
He wrote those things because he hated the piece.
But why did he hate it so much? Don’t you want to know?
I absolutely do not want to know.
Oh, yes, you do.
No, I don’t. I don’t care.
You do care.
Or you wouldn’t have just left me there,
alone, on stage.
You weren’t alone. There’s 8 other people in the ballet.
No. I danced this for you.
If you can’t watch it, then I am alone.
It was our first thing together.
He ruined it.
[elevator dings in distance]
Gabin...
[footsteps approaching]
Oh. Uh, I’m-I’m sorry.
Am I interrupting something?
No, we’re done.
I’m going with the rock.
[sighs]
[exhales sharply]
You look terrible.
-[elevator dings] -How did you know where I live?
-What? -I never gave you my address.
Tobias, this is corporate housing.
I put you here.
Oh.
Well, there’s a weird noise coming from the sink.
[clicks tongue]
Can we go inside?
I need to talk to you.
You’ll have to speak loud over that sink.
Wow! You really do have this goldfish.
Of course I do. Did you think I made him up?
Well, yeah.
Why would I make him up?
I don’t know. You just seemed, um...
-Like a liar? -[stammers]
You were upset.
And when I get upset, I invent imaginary pets?
No. I’m sorry.
He’s adorable.
-What’s his name? -Name?
Why would I name him?
He’s a fish. He’s not gonna answer.
Okay.
Uh, Tobias, sit.
[both sigh]
So, it’s been a hard week.
I’ve never gotten a bad review.
Except that one time.
When was that?
I was 9.
I was allowed to decorate my family’s Christmas tree by myself.
I chose a very distinctive monochromatic color scheme,
emphasizing shades of gray.
My sister called it upsetting.
You have a sister?
Well, like I told her that Christmas,
I don’t anymore.
Right.
Uh, so, Tobias,
I’m in a predicament.
I just realized this is not fish food.
This job, my job, it’s-it’s very complicated.
Dried oregano. I’ve been feeding him dried oregano for 3 days.
-Tobias. -I hope he’s Italian.
-Tobias. -Or Greek.
Tobias, I-I need you to pay attention.
I don’t think I want to hear this.
Please sit.
[inhales sharply]
I love what I do.
I love my dancers,
their work,
my people.
But the Le Ballet National is a business like any other.
And in business, you sometimes have to do things you hate,
because if you don’t,
you’re gone.
And I think this company is better off with me here.
So...I compromise.
I put on my corporate hat
and, um, I cave.
But not you.
You don’t cave.
You don’t compromise.
You play your own game the way you want to play it.
Because that piece -
your piece -
it was - it was brilliant.
It’s the reason I wanted to do this job -
to create a place for crazy people like you to work.
But the audience...
They need to learn.
There’s nothing you need to do or change.
Other than your clothes.
So come on.
It’s time to put this piece out of your head
and start your next.
[sniffs]
[grunts softly]
And it’s time to name your fish.
[door closes]
[sighs]
[gentle music playing]
♪ ♪
[quiet chatter]
I’m rethinking which version I want to give them.
There’s something about the ’89,
the purity of the original idea.
I’ve always liked the ’03 better because I saw it first.
But there’s something about the first version,
where he just hangs there for a while.
We put tutus in the second movement of version 2.
I know it’s old-fashioned,
but those tutus were just marvelous.
You can’t go wrong either way.
You know, I saw you dance a few times as a kid.
No. Really?
You weren’t half bad.
Half bad? I was excellent.
You were.
I had to work harder than the others though.
At 13, my balls and my arches dropped.
Classic 1-2 punch.
And my parents didn’t much encourage my choice of occupation.
My father...
...well, he never came to a performance.
Not one.
His loss.
You know, I got to dance with Margot Fonteyn one night.
Get out of here.
[chuckling]
She was touring with Nureyev
and he got sick, so they subbed me in.
We got 10 curtain calls.
Mostly for Margot, but...
one can pretend.
Well, Nicholas, I once heard a wise woman say,
“The male dancer is the beam without which the house would fall down.”
[chuckles]
You should be proud of that.
When I was a kid, my mother would take me backstage
and I’d get all the dancers to sign my program, you know?
But I never got yours.
-Why not? -You were always surrounded by worshipers,
and I was too intimidated to ask you.
I already agreed to stay another year, Jack.
You can stop blowing smoke.
What can I say?
Some kids grow up idolizing the Rolling Stones.
You were my Mick Jagger.
That’s very nice.
And I’ll tell you my “Night Out with Mick Jagger” story one day.
It’s a doozy.
Have you still got them?
-Got what? -The programs. Did you keep them?
Oh, absolutely. I keep those things in a safe.
Bring one of mine in. I’ll sign it for you.
I’ve got a bunch. I’d love you to sign them all.
Of course.
Just not in one sitting.
Carpal tunnel.
I like version 2.
So do I.
Those tutus.
[chuckles]
[sniffs]
Oh. [muttering]
[applause]
[gentle music playing]
♪ ♪
[siren wailing in distance]
♪ ♪
[♪ Sons of Raphael play “At Dawn I Look For You”]
♪ On your face, light plays, the sun is young ♪
♪ in everything a mystery ♪
♪ I remember morning stars that sang ♪
♪ and golden skies that hung ♪
♪ upon a cypress tree ♪
♪ And even angels have a way to say ♪
♪ you are gone ♪
♪ Not through words but the first ray of dawn ♪
♪ And when the birds with your voice sing ♪
♪ with childlike faith I will run ♪
♪ to meet your light in the rising ♪
♪ sun ♪
♪ ♪
♪ The red silk of your full lips can speak ♪
♪ and with the sunset’s voices blend ♪
♪ In the open air, our bodies leap ♪
♪ and like a falling leaf ♪
♪ into the night descend ♪
♪ And even angels have a way ♪
♪ to say you are gone ♪
♪ Not through words but the first ray of dawn ♪
♪ And when the birds with your voice sing ♪
♪ with childlike faith I will run ♪
♪ to meet your light in the rising sun ♪
♪ Or something like your eyes ♪
♪ the sea, the wind and the sand ♪
♪ The rainbow’s colors that never end ♪
♪ Into light...