Katya Tylevich

Eurasia Prepares For Influx Of Dancing, Histrionic Teens

From the producers and composer of the High School Musical trilogy: a bona fide Russian rip-off! First Love: Now That's Music! [Первая любовь: Вот такая музыка!] is premiering in Russian and Kazakh theatres March 5. If it’s anything like the trailer (link with subtitles after the jump), it will be a puberty-charged romp teeming with vibrantly clothed break dancers. The glossiness and skilled promo are pure Hollywood, but the underlying machismo and melodrama? All Russia, baby.

The film follows Tanya (played by Russian pop singer Yulia Savicheva), a puckish ballet talent strained under the tutelage of her demanding mother, a dance teacher at the beleaguered local arts center. The Soviet-built center is scheduled for demolition in favor of a more profitable entertainment complex. Enter the owner's son, Sasha. Sasha is a sensitive heartthrob who plays soccer, but also loves to dance. What are the odds? Tanya and Sasha make out, sing a song, and hatch a plan to save the arts center with a high-energy modern dance routine. Heartache, triumph, and a battle-of-the-sexes soccer match ensue. The plot sounds way too PC for Russians to sustain for an hour and a half, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for some moments of blatant sexism.

First Love: It's the Music! trailer [YouTube]


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