MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV AS YURI KOPEIKINE IN "THE TURNING POINT" (1977) by Dane Youssef

MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV AS YURI KOPEIKINE IN "THE TURNING POINT" (1977)

by Dane Youssef

Being a male involved within a thousand yards of ballet ever since the beginning of the 20th century in this country... has always been a scarlet letter. A red flag. Safe reassurance from the entire world that you are a full bodied homosexual.

But with more and more Russian ballet defectors invading our country (since the 1970's), the possiblilty that a straight man might have something to do with ballet is quickly being more and more plausible.

One of the many Russian defectors that were all the rage in the '70's-- Natalia Makarova, Alexander Godunov (and Baryhsnikov, of course, as this role was literally MADE for him).

One of the hot, new allegedly "straight" men invading the American ballet scene in New York, New York is Mr. Yuri Kopeikine.

The man is boyishly handsome in an early classical Hollywood kind of way.

Handsome, striking, powerful, graceful. He has a very delicate, innocent accent. He sounds almost like a timid boy. And so graceful and light on his feet, he practically walks on air.

With his deep blue melancholy, soulful and poetic eyes, Yuri is not only a natural athlete and artist, he's a 48-karat stud. From the moment he sets foot in the company, he finds himself bombarded with ballerina beauties.

Seemingly in the eye of every ballerina, each willing to give up life and limb to dance with him. And bedding more than he dances with.

Every girl who takes ballet, then falls in love with the craft. And dreams of the man she will share the stage and her pas de deux with... Yuri almost seems carefully designed to fit the exact mold, right down to the last detail. No wonder there are more ballerinas in the company interested in him than the lead in "Giselle."

On her very first day at the American Ballet Company after just being admitted, Emilia spots the much whispered-about company star, Yuri Kopeikine. A Russian pretty-boy danseur with grace and ability to spare.

Emilia is smitten from the moment she lays eyes on him. And she wants to lay a lot more than that. Funny thing is, she thinks she's the only one.

Looking quite poweful and desirable in his tights, leaping and floating in mid-air as if he was filled with helium, Emilia soons finds herself dreaming of him every hour of the day, waking or sleeping.

But a man is only as faithful as his options and Yuri has a many. Emilia thinks he's ready to pack it in after they share a night together, but soon is crestfallen to find otherwise when she overhears Yuri in a dressing room with another ballerina. The man is ALWAYS with another ballerina.

She's hurt herself after a long day at the barre, and he's a little too tender to her wounds and her tired body. She complains of her weak knees. He doesn't mind her getting weak in the knees around him. They share a moment and he closes her dressing room door.

Emilia sets her sights on other men. One's she can trust. And she finds them. Even a more attractive partner. At the studio, she comes across a boy who prettier and has a nicer bod than Yuri. He looks better in tights than Yuri, too. Even more than Emilia does.

But dammit, he can't move like Yuri can. And in a life of professional ballet, you always find yourself at the mercy of the company and the life.

Later, Yuri and Emilia have some words out and even though their romantic relationship is over, their professional relationship on the stage must continue. They make piece... and dance their number.

But what about personal love for dear Emilia? Will she ever trust another? Can she? What is Emilia to believe in now?

--Geniunely Wondering, Dane Youssef

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