Barbie in Schwanensee

The story and characterizations are packed with instant-recognition cliches for the kids, but that way the kids will appreciate the dancing because it's done in character. Though the dancing takes only a small fraction of the screen time, it's well animated (computerized from the dancers of the New York City Ballet) and the medium is used well as a way of eliminating distractions and directing attention.

Thanks to animation, the film shows us little children who dance like trained professionals. There seems to be a problem with the way they come down from jumps-- they seem to take as long as if they were bigger and had jumped higher-- but it's no big deal. I think the film could give a kid a helpful push toward appreciating ballet in particular and serious music in general. Sure the story is awful, but one movie can't have everything...