First Position follows six international hopefuls, ages 10 to 17, as they tackle first the semifinals, held around the world, and then the New York-based finals of the Grand Prix, where the world’s leading dance schools and companies gather to watch – and grade – their technique, musicality, personality, and body shape. The stakes are shockingly high: First prizes come with scholarships and contracts to the American Ballet Theatre, the Paris Opera Ballet, and other top-tier dance outfits. A five-minute solo can secure a future; a bad day, or an ill-timed injury flare-up, can stop a career trajectory in its tracks.
