Exploring universal themes of identity, dreams and family, Rebels on Pointe celebrates the legendary dance troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The notorious all-male drag ballet company, commonly known as “The Trocks,” was founded in 1974 in New York City on the heels of the Stonewall riots and has since developed a passionate cult following around the world. The film juxtaposes intimate behind-the-scenes access, rich archives and history, engaging character driven stories, and dance performances shot in North America, Europe and Japan. Rebels on Pointe is a creative blend of gender-bending artistic expression, diversity, passion and purpose which proves that a ballerina can be an act of revolution… in a tutu.

Rebels on Pointe introduces dancers that director Bobbi Jo Hart filmed for four years: Bobby Carter from Charleston, South Carolina; Raffaele Morra from Fossano, Italy; Chase Johnsey from Lakeland, Florida; and Carlos Hopuy is from Havana, Cuba. With personal histories impacted by the AIDS crisis and eventual growth of the LGBT civil rights movement, the film’s main characters share powerful and inspiring anecdotes about growing up gay, their relationships with their families, and their challenges in becoming professional ballerinas. Other interviewees featured in this exuberant documentary include James Whiteside, principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre, and Gia Kourlas, dance critic for The New York Times, who add valuable context to the Trocks’ unforgettable tale.

“Successful New York dance company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo knocks the stuffy art of ballet off its pedestal and makes it an open, inclusive, and accessible experience. This spirited doc shows how much better art—and life—can be when everyone is invited to the party.”
—POV Magazine

“Hart’s engaging documentary brings out the humour in the Trocks, an essential part of the troupe’s ethos. …she does that while balancing it with the seriousness that comes with ballet.”
—Inside Out