History Manga / LaMagnifiqueGrandeScene

** The most extreme example is explained when the professional judges have to grade ''Aurora'', purely because how popular it was due to its low entry barrier and excellent platform to showcase one's foundations. Shouko's was often compared to a princess, Sakura's was often described as a blooming flower, while Ema did it ethereally and lightly. There's Kanade's, Abby's, and Saki's variations, too, but theirs weren't really covered in-depth. [[spoiler:''Aurora'' is once again used as a measuring stick when Kanade returns from Royal Ballet after a year, when she dances it on-stage to great critical response.]]

* TimeSkip: One of about three years after the second chapter, placing Kanade around 11-years-old afterwards. Minor ones are present throughout the series, though. As of the most recent chapters, Kanade is in her early teens.

** Not quite this trope, since this manga happens and follows real-world history as closely as possible, but there's a lot of legendary ballet productions named left and right, plus famous ballet dancers, choreographers, artists, political figures, etc.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Not initially, but as the series went on, more and more groups are introduced with their own unique storylines and problems (most of which Kanade finds herself in the middle of), making the current chapters this.

** [[OneDegreeOfSeparation "It's a small world."]] A light-hearted take on how small the ballet industry actually is, despite its massive popularity. To put it into MasterApprenticeChain territory: [[spoiler:Kanade's current teacher at the Royal Ballet,]] Vasilisa Tolstaya, was Nobuko's (then Liudmilla's) senior at Toulouise when she was guest starring. Then, Kanade's mentors, Abby and Eugene, were Nobuko's junior at the same company when she became principal. Both of them also taught many of Kanade's current friends, such as Andrea and Evelyn. The Kurisu Ballet Studio also produced a lot of dancers who ended up in close proximity in various German schools, such as Sakura, Ema, and Miriam.

* FightingFingerprint: All over the place, given how much ballerinas are in the story and how few the classical choreographies are.

** Different choreographers from different eras are immediately distinguishable to the experienced eyes, regardless of who's dancing. Even the same source material is often noted to differ considerably under different hands.

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: The four main casts. Which is then followed with [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute a similar relationship]] among the four roommates at White Lodge.
** '''Sanguine''': [[GenkiGirl Kanade,]] full stop. She's constantly optimistic, ever-cheerful, with near-limitless energy to smile through anything. While most strangers usually take this awkwardly at best, it's often noted to be one of her greatest strength among professional ballet's gruelling life. At White Lodge, Evelyn takes this role with her American upbringing, as she's the most upfront, confrontational, cheerful, and the loudest.
** '''Choleric'''. Sakura. She's haughty and arrogant most times, then rather cold and indifferent when she's not sarcastically mocking anyone. Since little, she's been a subject of great expectations from her mother and peers, thus she exacts the same standard to others. [[DefrostingIceQueen She mellows out considerably as a teenager, however.]] At White Lodge, Rebecca is this, naturally from her wealth of experience living there, plus having actually been assigned as TheLeader by the dorm manager to guide Kanade and Evelyn. Somewhat bossy and strict, she doesn't get along well with the latter (at least at first).
** '''Melancholic''': Shouko, the resident YamatoNadeshiko. She schedules everything in her life down to the last second, a near-OCD trait she seemingly learned from her father (who's a former athlete), and her dancing style is [[ByTheBookCop incredibly deliberate and technical.]] However, she's also the most emotional, with her up-and-downs often breaking through the calm facade she puts on most times. At White Lodge, Kanade has shifted to this role, having matured massively through YAGP and taking a more reserved stance due to the need to blend in and avoid conflict. She's sensitive, meticulous, and subdued, though not as much as Shouko.
** '''Phlegmatic''': Ema. After her injury, she half-heartedly returned to dancing, relying solely on natural talent and her PhotographicMemory to coast by without applying the necessary discipline and gusto the other three girls did. In fact, this trait nearly bit her in her behind when [[spoiler:she nearly gave up on her career during YAGP, though Sakura's mother snapped her out of it quickly.]] At White Lodge, Keira is this. While her personality is the extreme version of Shouko's, she's the most disinterested in the competitive nature of the school, choosing to focus on herself and not actively trying to build relationships, with a major melancholic side at specific moments.

* FriendlyRivalry: All over the series. Most of the characters are simultaneously good friends and fierce rivals. The only one that comes close to falling into outright hostility is the one between Shouko and Ema, and even then, it's largely one-sided on Shouko's part and Shouko admits after watching Ema perform, she can't hate her.

* TheAce: Sakura, who's been raised and taught by a world class professional most of her life, and has won most competitions she's entered.
** [[spoiler:After winning the grand prix award at the YAGP, Kanade becomes this. During a recital for Takimoto Studio afterwards, Sakura acknowledges just how much she overshadows everyone else on stage.]]

** "It's a small world." A light-hearted take on how small the ballet industry actually is, despite its massive popularity. To put it into MasterApprenticeChain territory: [[spoiler:Kanade's current teacher at the Royal Ballet,]] Vasilisa Tolstaya, was Nobuko's (then Liudmilla's) senior at Toulouise when she was guest starring. Then, Kanade's mentors, Abby and Eugene, were Nobuko's junior at the same company when she became principal. Both of them also taught many of Kanade's current friends, such as Andrea and Evelyn. The Kurisu Ballet Studio also produced a lot of dancers who ended up in close proximity in various German schools, such as Sakura, Ema, and Miriam.

* BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler: Sakura goes on a long, slow one following her silver medal finish in Kanade and Shouko's first compeition as she'd expected to mop the floor with both of them.]]
* BrilliantButLazy: Ema in spades. She might be the most naturally talented of the main quartet but doesn't apply herself at all, something that irritates Shouko to no end.
* BrokenAce: Takimoto, a formerly world class dancer who wants to completely forget her career for as-yet-unexplained reasons. This was enough for her to utterly reject her professional dancer's identity, getting angry enough her peers automatically corrected themselves whenever they inadvertently called her by her birth name, [[spoiler:Liuda.]]

* ButNotTooForeign: Rebecca, who was born in England but whose parents are from Singapore.

* CommutingOnABus: Saki, an older student at Takimoto's studio, moves to England fairly early in the story and only comes back to Japan during breaks. Once Kanade moves to London she unsurprisingly begins appearing a bit more often.
* CoolBigSis: Risa is this to Kanade, being the one who inspired her to be a ballerina in the first place, then becoming one of her most loyal and constant supporters through her career. She herself becomes this for some of the younger students at White Lodge once she's able to break through their initial hesitation, especially a girl named Zooey.

* {{Eagleland}}: Evelyn is the mixed version: boisterous, blunt and a bit bull-headed but ultimately a nice girl who's loyal to her roommates. A more straightforward example is the American audience in YAGP, notably cheering far more enthusiastically when American contestants are on-stage.

** The most extreme example is explained when the professional judges have to grade ''Aurora'', purely because how popular it was due to its low entry barrier and excellent platform to showcase one's foundations. Shouko's was often compared to a princess, Sakura's was often described as a blooming flower, while Ema did it ethereally and lightly. There's Kanade's, Abby's, and Saki's variations, too, but theirs weren't really covered in-depth.

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: The four main casts.
** '''Sanguine''': [[GenkiGirl Kanade,]] full stop. She's constantly optimistic, ever-cheerful, with near-limitless energy to smile through anything. While most strangers usually take this awkwardly at best, it's often noted to be one of her greatest strength among professional ballet's gruelling life.
** '''Choleric'''. Sakura. She's haughty and arrogant most times, then rather cold and indifferent when she's not sarcastically mocking anyone. Since little, she's been a subject of great expectations from her mother and peers, thus she exacts the same standard to others. [[DefrostingIceQueen She mellows out considerably as a teenager, however.]]
** '''Melancholic''': Shouko, the resident YamatoNadeshiko. She schedules everything in her life down to the last second, a near-OCD trait she seemingly learned from her father (who's a former athlete), and her dancing style is [[ByTheBookCop incredibly deliberate and technical.]] However, she's also the most emotional, with her up-and-downs often breaking through the calm facade she puts on most times.
** '''Phlegmatic''': Ema. After her injury, she half-heartedly returned to dancing, relying solely on natural talent and her PhotographicMemory to coast by without applying the necessary discipline and gusto the other three girls did. In fact, this trait nearly bit her in her behind when [[spoiler:she nearly gave up on her career during YAGP, though Sakura's mother snapped her out of it quickly.]]
** Funnily enough, this trope shifts again when we're introduced to Kanade's roommates. Evelyn's the sanguine, Rebecca the choleric, Kanade's TheHeart melancholic, and Keira's the phlegmatic.

* FriendlyRivalry: All over the series. Most of the characters are simultaneously good friends and fierce rivals. The only one that comes close to falling into outright hostility is the one between Shouko and Ema and even then it's largely one-sided on Shouko's part and Shouko admits that after watching Ema perform she can't hate her.
** When Evelyn first shows up at the YAGP Finals her interaction with Kanade seemed to be an indication of a more traditional rivalry. However after they start rooming in London they become fast friends due to their similar personalities.

* GenkiGirl: Kanade's defining trait. She's upbeat, optimistic, extroverted and just plain has fun when she dances, something that other characters find infectious.

* HotBlooded: Beneath her shy, reserved demeanor Shouko is one of the most competitive and fiery characters in the series.

* ObliviousToLove: When her school friends ask about it and mention a boy who has a crush on her, Kanade is rather surprised, but states that she doesn't really have time to think about it anyway. She also fails to pick up on her partner Yuuki's interest in her.
* {{Ojou}}: Shouko, to an extent falling, into the ProperLady archetype. She's not filthy rich, but her family is the most financially well-off of the main cast (a bit better than Sakura's), a fact which Kanade admits gives her a leg up as she can afford to take her time, while Kanade's and Ema's only hope of continuing to dance internationally is by obtaining scholarships.
* OneeSama: Risa fills this role for Kanade. Even long after she's retired from dancing, Kanade still looks up to her greatly.

* PowerCopying: Kanade's notable trait, though she acknowledges this is a bad habit to constantly rely on when she sees originality and self-expression are more prized in professional ballet. In contrast, Sakura considerably struggles with this, as her far stronger individuality and ego usually clashes against a routine's intended story.
* TheQuietOne: Oftentimes Keira can barely get more than a few words out and tends to speak very softly.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Oliver Smith, director of the Royal Ballet School, at first comes off as harsh and stern. However he's ultimately a nice guy and a good teacher who has his students' wellbeing top of mind. This makes him especially wary of Abby's interest in Kanade and Evelyn.

** Kanade and Sakura, the two main rivals. One's a bright-eyed, naive newcomer from a middle-class family, while the other is an experienced, somewhat jaded semi-professional from a well-to-do environment. Their dancing styles, learning method, and motivations are almost exact opposites, though they're currently good friends (not that Sakura's going to admit it anytime soon.)
** Evelyn and Rebecca, two of Kanade's roommates in London. Evelyn, the Red Oni, is more passionate, outgoing and extroverted while Rebecca, the Blue Oni, is more reserved and uptight. In fact their opposite personalities lead to open hostility from Evelyn towards Rebecca.

* ShrinkingViolet: Shouko, full stop, who's shy and quiet in most situations. Keira, a roommate of Kanade's in London, is an even more extreme example being extremely shy and introverted, except when talking about her love of choreography. Catch her interest, however, and she can speak [[WallOfText like a machine gun.]]
* SpoilerCover: Not exactly ''spoiler'' per se, but the chapter covers give snapshots to the main characters' daily lives away from ballet lessons, most often showing scenes of them hanging out. These weren't included in the main story for some reason.
* StageMom: Zig-zagged with Sakura's mother. Her time on the world stage did not go well and she's implied to have experienced some racism and prejudice which left her bitter. She wants her daughter to succeed where she failed but her parenting style was cold and distant which she felt was necessary to make Sakura a strong person who could stand on her own when she inevitably left her tutelage. It's never once implied that she doesn't love her daughter but she's been more of a coach than a real mother to her. [[spoiler:It's later shown that she's starting to have regrets about it.]]
* SternTeacher: Saki, an older student at the studio Kanade attends, leaves for England early in the series to become an instructor. During the times she's back in Japan she largely fills this role for Kanade when helping her out. Though when not instructing her, she falls more into CoolBigSis territory.
* TheStoic: Akito, so much so that other characters express legitimate surprise when they see him smile. As a performer this is his biggest weakness as it means his acting ability is quite poor.
* TimeSkip: One of about three years after the second chapter placing Kanade around 11-years-old afterwards. Minor ones are present throughout the series though. As of the most recent chapters Kanade is in her early teens.
* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: After seeing Tamaki's contemporary piece, Kanade is left both amazed and completely bewildered by it. Tamaki can only laugh and say that it's up to viewer to interpret it in their own way.
* {{Tsundere}}: Sakura, caused by a tendency to bottle up her emotions.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Once Rebecca and Evelyn make up their relationship becomes this. Evelyn likes to take every opportunity she can to tease Rebecca much to Rebecca's consternation but they otherwise manage to get along just fine.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Early in the series a girl named Rena is introduced as a member of Mrs. Kurisu's studio and thus introduces Sakura into the series. She eventually joins Takimoto's studio and seems set up to be a supporting character, but very quickly disappears from the series once the competitions start and is never acknowledged again.
* WriteWhatYouKnow: Cuvie practiced ballet when she was younger which likely plays a large part in the more realistic focus of the series.

* RealityEnsues:
** As usual, '''money'''. Almost all characters (and all the main ones) discuss this, with varying financial background. On one extreme, there's Andrea, whose family was now so poor they had to scrounge and fight for food in devastated supermarkets due to the riots in their country. On the other were girls like Shouko, whose family could not only pay for full tuition in prestigious ballet academies, but also live in ''Monte Carlo''. Ballet lessons and further education were repeatedly mentioned as prohibitively expensive, despite the recent measures taken by many academies across the world. Even the Royal Ballet, which was backed by the ''Queen'' (the King, now in 2023), has to pick-and-choose the scholarships they hand out. Yes, it's better nowadays, but there's still a long way to go.
** Familial, peer, and societal pressure. A lot gave up on ballet, particularly male dancers, because their friends and family tease them for it. A good example was Risa in the early volumes, though she eventually admitted she compiled together a list of excuses so she could quit before she ended up hating ballet. On the other side we have an interesting [[SubvertedTrope subversion]], which was Sakura. Her mother founded and owns a successful ballet school, but it's ''Sakura'' who chose to enroll and train under [[TrainingFromHell her mother's tutelage]], not the other way around. Mrs. Kurisu even goaded Sakura to repeatedly give up (knowing it'd just fire her daughter up), but she [[{{Determinator}} refused.]]
** Even if you won championships, enrolled in excellent ballet academies, and graduated successfully, there's the professional dance industries with their own challenges. Mrs. Kurisu was a direct victim, while Nobuko was disgusted at what she saw--both women dealing with racism and prejudices along the way. There's lots of backstabbing and manipulative characters around, both in the amateur and professional circles. [[spoiler:Kanade had a firsthand bitter experience at this when ''Abby'' replaced her from a role she's been training for so long, solely because she performed ''better'' than expected and hurt Abby's ego.]]
** Finally, some people are just not suited for ballet or have terrible luck, such as injuries and [[TruthInTelevision political hindrances]] stopping a dancer's career short.

** Kanade's {{Catchprase}}: "Dancing is so fun!" There were many older characters in the manga who grew disillusioned with the world of professional ballet, and all of them, without exception, stopped personally dancing when they reached this stage. Risa, Nobuko, Mrs. Kurisu--the list went on and on. In the end, it's an art form one should enjoy when performing, and if one's mental state has reached this low point, it's better to stop rather than putting oneself and others in danger.

* SurprisinglyGoodEnglish: The main cast quickly picks up on a lot of foreign languages, especially when they start living abroad. Sakura, in particular, speaks with near-perfect German after a very short time living there, though admittedly she had at least a 6-month head start compared to the other three main cast.

** Kanade and Sakura, the two main rivals. One's a bright-eyed, naive newcomer from a middle-class family, while the other is an experienced, somewhat jaded semi-professional from a well-to-do environment. Their dancing styles, learning method, and motivations are almost exact opposites, though they're currently good friends {{Tsundere (not that Sakura's going to admit it anytime soon).}}

* TheAce: Sakura who's been raised and taught by a world class professional most of her life and has won most competitions she's entered.
** [[spoiler:After winning the grand prix award at the YAGP Kanade becomes this. During a recital for Takimoto Studio afterwards Sakura acknowledges just how much she overshadows everyone else on stage.]]
* AdultsAreUseless: Not so much averted as smashed through with abandon. Most of the adults are themselves complex characters who, despite their own self-doubts, serve as well-respected mentors and parents to the kids they interact with, especially Kanade.

* BrokenAce: Takimoto, a formerly world class dancer who wants to completely forget her career for as-yet-unexplained reasons.
* BrokenPedestal: Not completely but the pedestal that Kanade had placed Abigail Nichols on is certainly damaged when she finds out [[spoiler: that she wasn't the only girl Abby promised a Royal Ballet scholarship to though she admits she was conceited to think that wasn't the case, it does allow her to realize she has other options besides the Royal Ballet]].

* ComingOfAgeStory: Starting off when Kanade is around 7 or 8-years-old, it follows her and the other core characters as they go from neophyte children just learning to dance to teenagers who have left home in order to live abroad and realize their dreams of becoming professional dancers.

* CoolBigSis: Kanade becomes this for some of the younger students at White Lodge once she's able to break through their initial hesitation, especially a girl named Zooey.
* DancingRoyalty: Sakura is the arrogant version of this at her dance school because she's won numerous competitions thanks to being the daughter of a professional ballet dancer. When a classmate wants to befriend her, it takes a while for Sakura to be won over.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Kanade vows to turn Sakura from a fearsome rival into a valued friend, something Sakura scoffs at. [[spoiler: Though she never officially beats Sakura in a competition, Sakura admits defeat to her more charming Aurora in an impromptu one and from that point on becomes one of Kanade's most loyal friends.]]
* {{Determinator}}: Once Kanade has set her mind to something stopping her becomes a near impossibility.
* DrivenByEnvy: Kanade is described by Takimoto early on as having an avaricious personality when it comes to other dancers and Kanade is shown frequently being envious of the natural gifts and talents other dancers possess. This is actually a good thing as it means she's far more receptive to teaching methods and in general it manifests as a strong work ethic, constant drive to improve and desire to learn as much about ballet as she can.
* {{Eagleland}}: Evelyn is the mixed version: boisterous, blunt and a bit bull-headed but ultimately a nice girl who's loyal to her roommates.
* {{Engrish}}: Invoked when Kanade (who only has very rudimentary English knowledge to start with) first tries talking English speakers like Garrel or Abby. Though her English gets much better later on and she's able to hold conversations with native speakers though at times misunderstandings still occur.
* FairWeatherMentor: It's all but outright said that Abby is one of these though Kanade and especially Evelyn idolize her far too much to heed the warning signs.

* FreudianExcuse: If a character appears bitter or cynical chances are they have a good reason for it.

* GratuitousForeignLanguage: In the fan translation at least, non-Japanese characters largely speak their respective languages and others they might know. Garrel, for instance, speaks almost exclusively in French and English, the dialogue of Sakura's classmates in Munich is rendered in German and so on.

* {{Metalhead}}: Keira is implied to be one as the song she uses for her choreography is a metal song, much to everyone else's surprise.
* UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity: Just like in real life the finals of the YAGP are held here. Averts NewYorkIsOnlyManhattan much to the disappointment of the characters as the first half of the finals are held at Purchase College in Westchester County.
* ObliviousToLove: When her school friends ask about it and mention a boy who has a crush on her Kanade is rather surprised but states that she doesn't really have time to think about it anyway. She also fails to pick up on her partner Yuuki's interest in her.
* {{Ojou}}: Shouko to an extent falling into the ProperLady archetype. She's not filthy rich but her family is the most financially well off of the main cast, a fact which Kanade admits gives her a leg up as she can afford to take her time while Kanade's only hope of continuing to dance internationally is by obtaining scholarships.
* OneeSama: Risa fills this role for Kanade. Even long after she's retired from dancing Kanade still looks up to her greatly.
* OutOfFocus: Kanade's school friends. Addressed in-universe as Kanade's father asks her if she's worried that by focusing so intently on dancing she's abandoning any semblance of a normal childhood. A lot of the cast falls into this after the YAGP as Kanade is now living and training in London.
* ParentsAsPeople: If any parent gets notable screen time expect them to fall into this.

* RedOniBlueOni: Evelyn and Rebecca, two of Kanade's roommates in London. Evelyn, the Red Oni, is more passionate, outgoing and extroverted while Rebecca, the Blue Oni, is more reserved and uptight. In fact their opposite personalities lead to open hostility from Evelyn towards Rebecca.

* ShrinkingViolet: Shouko full stop who's shy and quiet in most situations. Keira, a roommate of Kanade's in London, is an even more extreme example being extremely shy and introverted except when talking about her love of choreography.

* SternTeacher: Saki, an older student at the studio Kanade attends, leaves for England early in the series to become an instructor. During the times she's back in Japan she largely fills this role for Kanade when helping her out. Though when not instructing her she falls more into CoolBigSis territory.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Early in the series a girl named Rena is introduced as a member of Mrs. Kurisu's studio and thus introduces Sakura into the series. She eventually joins Takimoto's studio and seems set up to be a supporting character but very quickly disappears from the series once the competitions start and is never acknowledged again.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/14460v1.jpg]]

''La Magnifique Grande Scène'' (''Kenrantaru Grande Scène'') is a {{Shonen}} manga by Cuvie focused on ballet with something of a sports twist. It follows [[GenkiGirl Kanade]] on her quest to become a professional dancer starting from early childhood through to the present. On their own roads to becoming pros are three other girls whose paths are closely intertwined with Kanade's: [[ShrinkingViolet Shouko Itou]], a classmate of Kanade's at their dance studio and her closest friend. [[DancingRoyalty Sakura Kurisu]], daughter of a former professional taught from an early age how to be the best. And [[BrilliantButLazy Ema Fujita]], blessed with a photographic memory and natural talent despite her flippant attitude. They're joined by a large though tight supporting cast of parents, mentors and other dancers.

''La Magnifique Grande Scène'' (''Kenrantaru Grande Scène'') is a {{Shonen}} manga by Cuvie focused on ballet with something of a sports twist. It follows [[GenkiGirl Kanade]] on her quest to become a professional dancer starting from early childhood, through elementary school and as of the present into early middle school. On their own roads to becoming pros are three other girls whose paths are closely intertwined with Kanade's: [[ShrinkingViolet Shouko Itou]], a classmate of Kanade's at their dance studio and her closest friend. [[DancingRoyalty Sakura Kurisu]], daughter of a former professional taught from an early age how to be the best. And [[BrilliantButLazy Ema Fujita]], blessed with a photographic memory and natural talent despite her flippant attitude. They're joined by a large though tight supporting cast of parents, mentors and other dancers.

* OutOfFocus: Kanade's school friends. Addressed in-universe as Kanade's father asks her if she's worried that by focusing so intently on dancing she's abandoning any semblance of a normal childhood.

* {{Engrish}}: Invoked when Kanade (who only has very rudimentary English knowledge to start with) first tries talking English speakers like Garrel or Abby. Though her English gets much better later on and she's able to hold conversations with native speakers.

* {{Tsundere}}: Sakura, caused by a tendency to bottle up her emotions.

* ShrinkingViolet: Shouko full stop who's shy and quiet in most situations.

* TimeSkip: One of about three years after the second chapter placing Kanade around 11-years-old afterwards. Minor ones are present throughout the series though and as of the most recent chapters Kanade's around 13-years-old.

* {{Adorkable}}: Kanade herself who can't help but geek out about every new thing she learns, every talented dancer she watches and meets and pretty much everything else about her passion.

''La Magnifique Grande Scène'' (''Kenrantaru Grande Scène'') is a {{Seinen}} manga by Cuvie focused on ballet with something of a sports twist. It follows [[GenkiGirl Kanade]] on her quest to become a professional dancer starting from early childhood, through elementary school and as of the present into early middle school. On their own roads to becoming pros are three other girls whose paths are closely intertwined with Kanade's: [[ShrinkingViolet Shouko Itou]], a classmate of Kanade's at their dance studio and her closest friend. [[DancingRoyalty Sakura Kurisu]], daughter of a former professional taught from an early age how to be the best. And [[BrilliantButLazy Ema Fujita]], blessed with a photographic memory and natural talent despite her flippant attitude. They're joined by a large though tight supporting cast of parents, mentors and other dancers.

* OutOfFocus: Kanade's school friends. Addressed in-universe as Kanade's father asks her if she's worried that by focusing so intently she's abandoning any semblance of a normal childhood.

* StageMom: Zig-zagged with Sakura's mother. Her time on the world stage did not go well and she's implied to have experienced some racism and prejudice which left her bitter. She wants her daughter to succeed where she failed but her parenting style was cold and distant which she felt was necessary to make Sakura a strong person who could stand on her own when she inevitably left her tutelage. It's never once implied that she doesn't love her daughter but she's been more of a coach than a real mother to her.

* NewYorkCity: Just like in real life the finals of the YAGP are held here. Averts NewYorkIsOnlyManhattan much to the disappointment of the characters as the first half of the finals are held at Purchase College in Westchester County.

''La Magnifique Grande Scène'' (''Kenrantaru Grande Scène'') is a {{Seinen}} manga by Cuvie focused on ballet with something of a sports twist. It follows [[GenkiGirl Kanade]] on her quest to become a professional dancer starting from early childhood and moving into (at present) early middle school. On their own paths to becoming pros are three other girls whose paths are closely intertwined with Kanade's: [[ShrinkingViolet Shouko Itou]], a classmate of Kanade's at their dance studio and her closest friend. [[DancingRoyalty Sakura Kurisu]], daughter of a former professional taught from an early age how to be the best. And [[BrilliantButLazy Ema Fujita]], blessed with a photographic memory and natural talent despite her flippant attitude. They're joined by a large though tight supporting cast of parents, mentors and other dancers.