Natalie Portman Got Black and Blue Getting Ready For Black Swan
Jamie Portman, Postmedia News · Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010
http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/Natalie+Portman+black+blue+getting+into+shape+Black+Swan/3918782/story.html

Natalie Portman training for her role in "Black Swan"

I saw the trailer for Black Swan for the first time when it came on the TV. At first, it just showed award-winning actress, Natalie Portman, as an innocent ballerina with the dream of being cast the dual roles – a  “pure and innocent” white swan, and a “sensuous and destructive” black swan— in  the New York City Ballet’s “Swan Lake”. Suddenly, you see Nina, Portman’s character, when the reality of attaining the roles she has dreamed of sets in and she is lead down a dangerous path, fueled by her “vulnerability and her obsessiveness”.  I respect Natalie Portman for committing to play this role after suffering a rib injury and the fact that she told director Darren Aronofsky she was getting too old to “play a dancer”. Natalie Portman started training for this role a year before shooting, doing countless hours of classical ballet technique, strength exercises and swimming. I think she has found a new respect for professional dancers who have no choice but to “dance through the pain”. I think this movie is a good way to make non-dancers aware of what dancers put themselves through to reach their goals. It sheds light on how professional dancers live, and why their lifestyles are dangerous and unhealthy, especially ballerinas. I saw a documentary on young Russian girls determined to get into the ballet school of their dreams. Hundreds would try out and only 3 would graduate. Ballerinas put themselves through so much pain and dedication to accomplish their dreams that they don’t hang out with friends, they don’t drink, they rarely eat, and they constantly put their bodies through extreme pain.