Show out of step with men of ballet

The first thing wrong with the PBS “Dance in America” telecast tonight is its title: “Born to Be Wild: The Leading Men of American Ballet Theatre” (8 p.m., KCET).

Wild? Mild is more like it. Riding a motorcycle and fearlessly proclaiming his heterosexuality don’t exactly make Ethan Stiefel a rebel hellion, and that’s about as edgy as anyone gets in this lightweight, hourlong look at four virtuosos: Stiefel, Vladimir Malakhov, Jose Manuel Carreno and Angel Corella. Indeed, there’s a rather strained attempt to make these high-profile dance artists seem like ordinary guys -- and it doesn’t work.

Now about that subtitle: If these star dancers really are the leading men of ABT, where does that leave their stellar colleague Julio Bocca, or, for that matter, all the men at the top of the company roster in performances at the Kodak Theatre in December?

In the program’s best moments, the camera follows its subjects to their far-flung birthplaces while we hear them talk about their reasons for becoming dancers. Corella and Malakhov are particularly revealing about growing up alienated from their peers and families, and the dancers’ parents often provide valuable insights -- plus vintage home movies.

Director Judy Kinberg proves obsessed, however, with cramming virtuosity onto the screen, much of it culled from the PBS telecast of “Le Corsaire.” As a result, the talk and images often refuse to connect. We hear Corella call himself a passionate dancer but see only technical fireworks. We hear Stiefel speak of needing a variety of challenges but see only flashy jumps and turns.

Unifying the hour: scenes showing choreographer Mark Morris creating a new work for these four men. Unfortunately, his plotless, seven-minute showpiece “Non Troppo” (to Schumann) turns out to be an unimaginative exercise unworthy of its cast.

But the rehearsal footage is a delight -- and lasts longer than the work itself.