"Darren Aronofsky's 2010 film, Black Swan, fit into a lot of boxes. It was a psychological thriller, a body-horror flick, a character study, a coming-of-age saga. It was a cautionary tale about ballet culture, helicopter parenting, and perfectionism. Rewatching it roughly 15 years after its release, though, I've come to see it as something else: a workplace drama, about an ambitious woman navigating a hypercompetitive environment, contorting herself to please the mercurial boss who holds her fate in his hands."
"The ballet world is, of course, unique-a field that requires uncommon athletic and artistic mastery, as well as more commitment and sacrifice than most 9-to-5 jobs. The path to success for a dancer doesn't necessarily look the same as that of a corporate employee. Yet Black Swan 's central character, Nina Sayers, played by Natalie Portman, struggles in ways that feel broadly relatable."
Black Swan reframes a ballet narrative as a workplace drama centered on Nina Sayers, whose identity becomes inseparable from professional success. Nina wins the dual role in Swan Lake but faces constant critique and scarcity of recognition. Director Thomas labels her "frigid" and questions her capacity for the seductive role while colleagues covet her part and undermine her. Former prima Beth is removed for age despite apparent ability, illustrating prioritization of marketable youth. The company treats dancers as expendable resources valued for current contribution rather than personhood. The film connects extreme artistic demands with broader dynamics of competition, disposability, and perfectionism in workplaces.
Read at The Atlantic
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