Flesh and Bone continues Starz’s commitment to expanding their scripted presence, as the series will join a slate that includes pirate drama Black Sails, action-adventure romp Da Vinci’s Demons, crime drama Power, and literary adaptation Outlander, the latter two set to premiere later this year. It will only be the second scripted series that Starz has put on that features a female lead, the other being acquired miniseries The White Queen.

In addition to Hay, Flesh and Bone stars former American Ballet Theatre principal Irina Dvorovenko, current American Ballet Theatre soloist Sascha Radetsky, Ballet Arizona company dancer Raychel Diane Weiner, Tony nominee Ben Daniels, Emily Tyra (Boardwalk Empire), Josh Helman (The Pacific), and Damon Herriman (Justified). Former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Ethan Stiefel will act as the show’s choreographer.

Flesh and Bone is set to premiere on Starz in 2015. The first episode will be helmed by David Michod (Animal Kingdom).

Will you be watching Flesh and Bone? How do you think the series will compare to the rest of Starz’s scripted slate? Should the network continue to diversify its scripted output with projects like Flesh and Bone and Power?

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From Breaking Bad executive producer Moira Beckley-Wallett, Flesh and Bone follows Claire (Sarah Hay), a talented yet troubled ballerina who earns a chance to join a prestigious New York City ballet company. However, once she gets further inside the world she was so desperate to be a part of, she soon realizes she might have passed a point of no return and that her life will never be the same as a result of her membership in the company.

In addition to his role on the acclaimed HBO miniseries, Helman has appeared on the likes of Home and Away and McLeod’s Daughters, while Herriman’s television credits include Vegas, Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS, and The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting. They join a cast that includes the likes of former American Ballet Theatre principal Irina Dvorovenko, current American Ballet Theatre soloist Sascha Radetsky, Ballet Arizona company dancer Raychel Diane Weiner, Tony nominee Be Daniels, and Boardwalk Empire actress Emily Tyra.

Flesh and Bone begins production this spring for a 2015 premiere on Starz. The first episode of the series will be directed by David Michod (Animal Kingdom).

Will you be watching Flesh and Bone? Do you think the show sounds like a breakout hit waiting to happen for Starz? Just what kind of darkness lies in waiting for Claire as she delves into the inner workings of the ballet world?

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Created by Walley-Beckett, Flesh and Bone tells the story of Claire (Sarah Hay), a troubled, fragile young dancer who joins a prestigious company in New York and loses herself in the process. The series is said to explore the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world, including the vicious competitiveness between dancers, the lengths dancers are willing to go to stay in a production, and the emotional depths a dancer can fall into when they’re rejected by an industry they’ve dedicated their lives to.

In addition to his recurring role on the Netflix drama, Daniels has appeared on the likes of Merlin, Cutting It, and Law & Order: UK. He joins a cast that includes the likes of former American Ballet Theatre principal Irina Dvorovenko, current American Ballet Theatre soloist Sascha Radetsky, Ballet Arizona company dancer Raychel Diane Weiner, and Boardwalk Empire actress Emily Tyra.

Flesh and Bone will premiere sometime in 2015 on Starz. Additional casting information should be released in the coming weeks.

Will you be watching Flesh and Bone? Who else would you like to see join the cast? Do you think the show will be the next big hit for Starz?

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“I’m entirely enamored of the visual, visceral, artful way David tells story,” said creator Moira Walley-Beckett.  “His style and sensibility is very much in alignment with my vision of my show.”

Flesh and Bone tells the story of Claire (Sarah Hay), a troubled ballet dancer who joins a company in New York and soon discovers that the world she was so desperate to belong to might not be what she expected when viewed from the inside. The show will also feature the likes of former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Irina Dvorovenko, current American Ballet Theatre soloist Sascha Radetsky, and Ballet Arizona company dancer Raychel Diane Weiner, with former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Ethan Stiefel to serve as series choreographer.

In addition to his work on the 2010 crime thriller that earned Jacki Weaver an Oscar nomination, Michod has directed an episode of Enlightened, a series of shorts, and films such as The Rover and Solitary Endeavour on the Southern Ocean. He’s the latest film director to helm a series premiere for Starz, as Neil Marshall (The Descent) was behind the first episode of Black Sails, Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress) anchored the Magic City series premiere, and Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho) took the reins on premiere of Boss.

Flesh and Bone will premiere on Starz sometime in 2015. Further information on the series should be released in the coming months.

Will you be watching Flesh and Bone? Do you think Michod’s aesthetic will set a strong precedent for the first season of the show? What other directors would you like to see navigate the world of New York City ballet?

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“From the beginning, we all agreed this project could not go forward unless we found a world class dancer who had the ability to convey the widest range of emotions that Moira has written,” says Chris Albrecht, CEO of Starz.  “This is one of the most challenging and dynamic characters I have ever seen and am thrilled to say we found our ‘Claire’ in Ms. Hay.”

The series, from Breaking Bad executive producer Moira Walley-Beckett, tells the story of young ballerina Claire (Sarah Hay), a talented dancer with a troubled past and self-destructive tendencies who joins a prestigious ballet company in New York. Flesh and Bone is said to explore the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world through the eyes and experiences of Claire.

In addition to Hay, an acclaimed ballerina who danced in Black Swan, the series will feature the talents of American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Irina Dvorovenko and current soloist Sascha Radetsky, as well as Royal New Zealand Ballet artistic director and former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Ethan Stiefel, the latter set to act as the show’s choreographer.

Flesh and Bone seems like it will be kicking off another strong year of originals for Starz, which will be premiering three new series this year in addition to the second season of Da Vinci’s Demons. Although the network has tended to focus on bigger, splashier fare with elaborate productions, present-day crime drama Power is set to premiere this summer, so something like Flesh and Bone wouldn’t be too much of a reach for them to air, especially if the show brings the strong visuals and complex, conflicted characters that tend to populate the Starz universe.

You can check out a video of Hay dancing below.

Will you be watching Flesh and Bone? Do you think the show will fit in along with the network’s other offerings? Who would you like to see join the cast?

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