Ballerina (2016) · 16 quotes
Regine
The stairs, Odette. The stairs are a disgrace. I have guests tomorrow afternoon and I want my building looking worthy, top to bottom.
Odette
I understand, ma'am.
Regine
If you understand, why are you entering your rooms? [walks away]
Regine
Get up.
Odette
Yes, ma'am. [gets up, but keeps her head down]
Regine
Who is this?
Odette
No one. She helps.
Regine
You feed it...out of your wages.
Odette
Yes, ma'am.
Regine
I want you to air and press the linen. [whispers] Now. [Odette leaves. Regine looks down at Felicie coldly. A visibly frightened Felicie resumes cleaning the stairs] It's not clean. [purposely pushes the bucket of scrubbing water with her foot; the water spills down the steps, much to Felicie's shock, then smiles wickedly and leaves]
Regine
Any mail?
Odette
There is no mail.
Regine
As soon as there is, fetch it. [she finally walks in]
Odette
Jump and ring the bell.
Felicie
Why?
Odette
Just do it.
Felicie
You don't want me to dance?
Odette
No talking. Jump and ring the bell. [Felicie obeys] Again.
Felicie
You said we were going to train.
Odette
This is it. Again. [Felicie shrugs, then jumps and rings the bell again] Felicie, you lack precision and finesse. You have little or no sense of rhythm. You're without balance, grace, and charm. [as she says this, she pours water around Felicie, creating a puddle]
Felicie
Come on! You can't tell all that from one jump! Can you? [Odette doesn't answer; Felicie hangs her head in shame] You can.
Odette
On the good side, you have the energy of a bullet. But you also have the lightness of a depressed elephant.
Felicie
Hey! Mérante used exactly the same phrase!
Odette
After 10 years of cleaning, you pick stuff up. Okay, now jump up, ring this bell, land, and do not splash the water.
Felicie
That's impossible.
Odette
I thought it was your dream to dance.
Are you doing dance or kung fu? [chuckles]
Felicie
You are so funny. [stands up, then introduces Victor to Odette] This is Victor. We escaped from the orphanage together.
Hello. I am loving your apron. [kisses her hand]
Odette
Ugh. It seems that you were going out tonight.
Yep.
Odette
Bring her back late and you'll be 6 inches smaller.
Of course, of course, of course. It's a quiet, sober, quiet, sober thing.
Impressive, ladies! But let me ask you both an important question. Why do you dance?
Camille
I dance because... [less confident] I dance because... Because... [meekly] My mother makes me?
Felicie
Because it's always been a part of my life. It was there with my mom when I was a baby. It's here now thanks to Odette. It allows me to live. To be myself.
Camille
She should dance.
That was very honest, Miss Le Haut, and brave. You have a future at the Opera, if you wish it. [Camille gives him a grateful smile] Felicie, tonight, you dance The Nutcracker!
Camille
Great job.
Well done, my sweetness!
Okay. Bravo, bravo.
Oh bravo!
Felicie
YES! [throws her arms around Odette, who immediately returns the embrace]
Odette
Yes. [she shares the embrace with Felicie]