Quotes

Dialogue

Felicie: [regarding Victor's idea to escape from the orphanage] Do you have a plan? Victor: A brilliant plan! A plan worthy of my total, utter, unquestionable genius.

Dialogue

Victor: For the last 3 months, I have been studying chickens. I know how they eat. Luteau: [banging] Open this door! Victor: I know how they walk. I know how they lay an egg. [as he and Felicie walk to the edge of the roof] There is nothing about a chicken that I do not know. [ripping his disguise, revealing his crudely built wings] Ta-da! I call them... Chicken Wings! Felicie: [frustrated] Chickens... don't... FLY! Victor: But they have wings! They must fly! [to a chicken] You fly, don't you? FLY! [throws the chicken in the air, the chicken falls to the ground] Uh-oh. Luteau: [catches Victor and Felicie on the roof] I'm going to...! Come here, you rascals! Victor: [bravely] Goodbye! Luteau: [outraged] WHAT?! [Victor picks up Felicie and runs down the roof, with Luteau close behind] Victor: Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! [carries Felicie, jumps off the roof and manages to fly away with the help of his "chicken wings"] Victor: [joyously] One day, everyone will travel like this! [Luteau rides

Dialogue

Regine: The stairs, Odette. The stairs are a disgrace. I have guests tomorrow afternoon and I want my building looking worthy, top to bottom. Odette: [looking down] I understand, ma'am. Regine: If you understand, why are you entering your rooms? [walks away]

Dialogue

Regine: [to Odette, as she and Felicie are cleaning the stairs] Get up. Odette: [meekly] Yes, ma'am. [gets up, but keeps her head down] Regine: [referring to Felicie] Who is this? Odette: No one. She helps. Regine: You feed it...out of your wages. Odette: Yes, ma'am. Regine: I want you to air and press the linen. [whispers] Now. [Odette leaves. Regine looks down at Felicie coldly. A visibly frightened Felicie resumes cleaning the stairs] It's not clean. [purposely pushes the bucket of scrubbing water with her foot; the water spills down the steps, much to Felicie's shock, then smiles wickedly and leaves]

Dialogue

Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil: [as he walks to Mérante] Oh, greatest ballet master of all time! Oh, most talented choreographer in the universe and beyond! He is handsome! He is elegant! He is strong! He is powerful! He is the man! Mérante: You want something from me? Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil: How did you know? Yes. I have enrolled Camille Le Haut in your class. Mérante: [sighs] Thank you.

Dialogue

Felicie: [on her first day of dance class, shyly greeting the other girls] Hi. Hello. [to herself; when none of the girls respond] Okay. Super. [louder] I'm Felicie. Nora: [confused] Felicie? Felicie: [realizes her mistake] Uh, no, no, no, no, no. Sorry. I'm... friendly, ever so friendly. And my name is Camille. Nora: Okay. I'm Nora, but everyone calls me... Nora. That's... the name that goes with my face. [laughs] Hey, you should warm up. Felicie: [to herself, confused] Warm up? [shrugs and tries to literally 'warm up' by rubbing her hands on her arms] Dora: [amused] Oh my. That is crazy. I'm guessing you're new, my darling? Felicie: [awkwardly] You can tell that because...? [Before Dora can answer, Mérante enters. The girls quickly gather to one side of the room] Who is that? Dora: [rolls her eyes] You are joking, right? It's Louis Mérante, ballet master, world-famous choreographer, the man who performed the most fouettes ever in a single solo. Felicie: Foo-what? Dora: Turns. Really

Dialogue

Regine: [as she was about to walk in the building, she stops] Any mail? Odette: [walks out and stops Felicie] There is no mail. Regine: As soon as there is, fetch it. [she finally walks in]

Dialogue

Odette: [places a bell on a tree branch] Jump and ring the bell. Felicie: Why? Odette: Just do it. Felicie: You don't want me to dance? Odette: No talking. Jump and ring the bell. [Felicie obeys] Again. Felicie: You said we were going to train. Odette: This is it. Again. [Felicie shrugs, then jumps and rings the bell again] Felicie, you lack precision and finesse. You have little or no sense of rhythm. You're without balance, grace, and charm. [as she says this, she pours water around Felicie, creating a puddle] Felicie: [lightheartedly] Come on! You can't tell all that from one jump! Can you? [Odette doesn't answer; Felicie hangs her head in shame] You can. Odette: On the good side, you have the energy of a bullet. But you also have the lightness of a depressed elephant. Felicie: [surprised] Hey! Mérante used exactly the same phrase! Odette: After 10 years of cleaning, you pick stuff up. Okay, now jump up, ring this bell, land, and do not splash the water. Felicie: [looking down at he

Dialogue

Victor: [shows Felicie into his new place of work] So, here's my office, the home of big ideas and genius. [leads her to a desk with blueprints on it] For example, here we see the plans for Chicken Wings version 3. [He leans on the desk and slips, falling to the floor and sending his blueprints flying. He quickly gets back up and awkwardly continues the tour] At the moment, my boss and I are working on several... Uh... important... [giggles nervously and fiddles around with a nutcracker] Inventions. [loses his grip and the nutcracker hits a bookshelf, breaking it] He... uh... [doesn't look where he's going and accidentally steps into an empty bucket] He calls me his ideas man. [clears his throat] Felicie: [amazed] You know how to use all this stuff? Victor: Uh, not yet. But I... I have a chair. [sits down in his chair and spins around, finally getting the bucket off his foot] Matty: [enters, holding a large stack of scrolls] Hey, Victor. Victor: [to Felicie] He's the cleaner. [lowers h

Dialogue

Victor: [after Felicie fails to do a difficult dance move] Are you doing dance or kung fu? [chuckles] Felicie: [rolls her eyes] You are so funny. [stands up, then introduces Victor to Odette] This is Victor. We escaped from the orphanage together. Victor: Hello. I am loving your apron. [kisses her hand] Odette: Ugh. It seems that you were going out tonight. Victor: Yep. Odette: Bring her back late and you'll be 6 inches smaller. Victor: [looks nervous, then regains confidence quickly] Of course, of course, of course. It's a quiet, sober, quiet, sober thing.

Dialogue

Felicie: [to Victor, about the Breton bar] I love it here! Let's party! [starts to dance on the tables] Victor: [shouting over the music] Did you say you loved me or the bar?! Bar patrons: Yeah! Wow! Look at her go! Victor: [impressed] Wow! [to a man at the bar] That's my girlfriend! Man at bar: [chuckles] You're a lucky guy!

Dialogue

Victor: [watching Felicie dance around the Breton bar] Wow! Mérante: [sternly] I hope that tomorrow you act with a little more dignity. [starts to walk out] Anyway, tonight was... [puts his hat back on and smiles] A good performance. Felicie: [flattered] Thank you, sir.

Dialogue

Regine: [to Odette, who's just came in the room] You...traitor! You knew this. You stabbed me in the back. You are sacked! Mérante: [bangs his cane] SILENCE! [pause] Alright, like it or lump it, here is my deal. [to Camille] Miss Le Haut, you may enter the coryphée class starting tomorrow. And you will also be in the auditions for the part in The Nutcracker. [to Regine] But I want to be clear, if you sack Madame Odette, I will sack Camille. [walks to Felicie] You! You made a terrible start to the classes. And you have lied and cheated to be here. [Felicie sulks briefly] But...you have also shown great promise. And you've worked hard and shown your dedication. You must have a good teacher. [looks at Odette, then back at Felicie] So you may also stay in the auditions. If you get the part in The Nutcracker fair and square, you may become a coryphée too. If you fail to get the part, then you must leave the Opera. Is that clear? Felicie: [softly] Yes. Mérante: [turns to Regine] Is that also

Dialogue

Regine: Up, down. Up, down. Up, down. [stomps her foot] Again! Up, down. Up... Camille: [she interrupts] I'm tired. Regine: "Tired" is for losers. Again! I'm going to get that part!

Dialogue

Felicie: [after Camille once again steals her music box] Leave it. Give it back. Camille: [laughs mischievously] Silly me. I didn't throw it hard enough THE FIRST TIME! Felicie: Don't make the same mistake. [puts the music box back in her pocket and starts to walk away] Camille: Why are you leaving? Scared of being humiliated? Felicie: [stops and faces her] Looks like you need more training. [uses her broom to stretch her body] You're nowhere near ready. [drops her broom as she and Camille circle each other on tiptoes] Camille: I'm going to show you what a real dancer looks like. Felicie: Are you sure about that? Camille: Quiet! Tonight, these seats will be full! Paris will be looking at me! Adoring me! Felicie: [smirks] Or not. Camille: [furiously] I already told you! You are nothing! You will always be nothing! Felicie: [spins up to her] Only one way to find out. Right here. Right now. Nora: [pleasantly surprised] Oh my god. [rushes out of the room and shouts to the others in the bui

Dialogue

Mérante: [after Felicie wins the dance-off between Camille and herself] Impressive, ladies! But let me ask you both an important question. Why do you dance? Camille: [confidently] I dance because... [less confident] I dance because... Because... [meekly] My mother makes me? Felicie: [sincerely] Because it's always been a part of my life. It was there with my mom when I was a baby. It's here now thanks to Odette. It allows me to live. To be myself. Camille: [remorseful] She should dance. Mérante: That was very honest, Miss Le Haut, and brave. You have a future at the Opera, if you wish it. [Camille gives him a grateful smile] Felicie, tonight, you dance The Nutcracker! Camille: [holds out her hand to Felicie, truthfully] Great job. Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil: Well done, my sweetness! Greasy Guard: [miserably] Okay. Bravo, bravo. Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil: Oh bravo! Felicie: [after pulling out of the hug, she turns to Odette] YES! [throws her arms around Odette, who immediately return