Broken

In 2008, when Ballet BC hired me as a freelance cinematographer, I was deeply interested to go behind the scenes at a professional dance company. I danced for many years and always wondered how challenging a career in dance would be. At the time, Simone Orlando was Ballet BC’s unofficial prima ballerina, dancing the lead in several ballets. She had also begun choreographing new ballets for the company in preparation for the end of her dancing career known as “dancer’s transition.” I was in the midst of a transition myself. I was a new mother and had left a 10-year career in film and television to work as a freelance photographer and videographer. Curious about her work and her transition, I asked Simone if I could shoot a personal photo essay about her and a short film. She agreed.
I photographed and filmed Simone for about a year and half when an opportunity came up to exhibit the work. One afternoon I invited her to review the final edits for the exhibition. Out of the blue, she told me then that her doctor said she needed to have a total hip replacement, her dance career was over and her career as a choreographer was in jeopardy too.
Simone recounted the whole story from the time she first injured her hip; details about the initial injury, being replaced as lead dancer, hip surgery and rehabilitation, coming back to perform way too soon in order to hang on to her position in the company and having to hide great pain and suffering. Simone was devastated by the sudden loss of her ability to dance and the uncertainty of her future. She explained that her situation was not unique, and that this sort of thing was very common among dancers. But no one ever talked about it.
I was totally surprised. How could I not have noticed that she was working and dancing in pain the whole time I photographed her? We had become quite close, yet she had managed to keep it a secret. She hid her problem from everyone.
Fascinated by what she was going through and believing there was much more too it, I asked Simone if I could make a documentary about it. I also had a feeling that the story was far from over.
While Simone’s story is an extreme example of what happens to so many dancers, the film resonates powerfully for all those – dancers, musicians, performers and even athletes – who have lost their greatest love through injury.
"Broken" premiered at the Whistler Film Festival 2016 where is acquired Canadian distribution through IndieCan Entertainment. “Broken” is currently on the festival circuit and has been officially selected for 2 festivals in March 2016 - FIFA (Festival International du Film Sur L’Art) in Montreal and CFF (The Canadian Film Festival) in Toronto, Canada. The film will continue to be showcased at festivals throughout the world in 2017.