The Stage

BBC3 documentary to follow British dancers at the Moulin Rouge

Published Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 14:45 by Matthew Hemley

Young British dancers making their debuts at Paris’ Moulin Rouge are to be the subject of a fly on the wall documentary being developed for BBC3.

The 60-minute programme, which is being made by Blink Films, will begin with the female dancers preparing for their auditions at London dance studios Pineapple later this month and follow them to the point of their first appearance on stage at the famous venue.

In between, it will reveal how well the girls are settling into life in Paris and show them as they rehearse with the other dancers of the Moulin Rouge. It will also provide a rare insight into how the legendary venue operates.

Producer and director Toby Trackman said: “We are very lucky that the Moulin Rouge has agreed to give us backstage access. This is also a great opportunity for a young dancer to make a splash, as they will be performing in one of the most prestigious places in the world.”

Trackman explained that the programme is being created for a BBC3 season looking at how young people make the transition to adulthood and said he had been inspired to make the programme after going to Paris and meeting dancers from the UK working there. He said the show would either be called Make Me a Showgirl or Teen Burlesque and added he was currently looking for dancers to take part in the documentary.

“We’re looking for larger than life characters who are ready to undertake the journey of moving to Paris to dance in one of the world’s most iconic theatres,” he said.

Dancers should be under the age of 21 and ideally trained both classically and in contemporary dance. Anyone interested in applying can contact Trackman on toby.trackman@blinkfilmsuk.com