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The Dying Swan

Episode 1 of 4

Former Royal Ballet principal Zenaida Yanowsky has to overcome knee surgery and fight her body back to fitness to prepare for one of her final public performances.

Using the lyrical and elegant metaphor of a ballet classic about death, this film explores how a dancer fights age, the deterioration of the body over time and fear of retirement.

Former Royal Ballet principal, 43-year-old Zenaida Yanowsky, plans to overcome knee surgery and fight her body back to fitness so as to perform a swansong, one of ballet's best-known of solos, The Dying Swan. For Zenaida, this is one of her last public performances before drawing the curtains on an acclaimed classical ballet career.

The film also features an encounter between Zenaida and current Royal Ballet rising star principal dancer, the Russian-born-and-trained Natalia Osipova.

30 minutes

Last on

Tue 8 May 201802:20

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Credits

RoleContributor
ParticipantZenaida Yanowsky
ParticipantNatalia Osipova
ParticipantCarmen Delgado De Robles
ParticipantGreg Retter
ProducerGlen Milner
DirectorGlen Milner
Executive ProducerMolly Milton
Executive ProducerRussell Barnes
Production CompanyClearStory Ltd

Broadcasts

Featured in...

Star Ballerina's Swansong

Star Ballerina's Swansong

Zenaida Yanowsky's emotional and physical battle as she reaches the end of her career.