For Art's Sake: The Story of Ballets Russes (2009)

In the centenary year since the founding of the Ballets Russe, this documentary looks back at Sergei Diaghilev and the company he created, what they did and the influence they had, even a 100 years later. There were no films made of the Ballets Russe themselves, Diaghilev didn't want their work filmed. But the documentary shows many other companies performing works first introduced by the Ballets Russe. Interviews with people talking about what they did, some archive interviews with those no longer with us and many new interviews. They talk about the dancers, the choreographers, the composers, the designers, all brought together by the maestro Diaghilev. The company only survived for about 20 years, until Diaghilev's death, but it is the root of nearly every dance company in the world.