I've always had the concept in my head that dancers who ONLY dance do so because they can't act. I've known dancers in my shallow career, who had acting ability, but I imagined those dancers who had no interest in acting simply couldn't. The movie "Center Stage" certainly proves my theory.

First off, let's get the storyline out of the way. The audience focuses on aspiring dancers attending the very tough minded American Ballet Academy, hoping to become a part of the American Ballet Company in New York City.

Quickly, we meet our young cast of characters, learn which ones are gay, which are single, which have lots of talent and which ones simply have attitude. As relationships begin to form, I realize the story is nothing but a feature length special of TV's "Saved By the Bell." Enough said.

Now for what I really enjoy about the picture. The choreography of the picture is outstanding and the shot selection of Brittish director Nicholas Hynter was awesome in capturing these sequences. In fact, after a listless directing resume, including "The Madness of King George," the latest version of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and ho-hum comedy "The Object of My Desire," I feel aesthetically "Center Stage" is the man's most enjoyable work.

Now for what I don't like about the film. The acting completely drags down the picture. The cast is loaded with amazing dancers and gorgeous faces, but very few believable performances.

Leading actress Amanda Schull is a vision of the perfect young female form, but her lack of talent as an actress versus her talent as a dancer has kept "Center Stage," released in 2000, her only screen credit to date.

Other fabulous physical performances came from Ethan Stiefel and Sascha Radetsky--that's a dude's name by the way, but their limited acting skills have also kept this picture as their only claim to any major screen fame.

The only noticeable face in this movie is Peter Gallagher (TV's The OC), while others in the film has been getting other work with the talents they have, like Zoe Saldana who earned more than one scene in "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Terminal," while Susan May Pratt has gotten work in "Drive Me Crazy" and "10 Things I Hate About You." Both show a lot of promise.

Lighting up the supporting cast is Donna Murphy, most recently seen as Doc Ock's wife in "Spiderman 2," as well as being a Tony Award nominee for leading actress in a musical for "Wonderful Town." She was noticeably the most solid, real and believable persona "Center Stage" had to offer.

Overall, I liked the picture. I am a "Saved By the Bell" fan. However, it is far from one of my favorites that year, and far from being a great work of cinema. If you like great classical ballet, contemporary ballet dancing and watching unbelievably good-looking young people, than "Center Stage" is YOUR movie. As for the rest of us, SNOOZE.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?