Watch the first episode of Starz's 'Flesh and Bone'

The curtain is rising early on Flesh and Bone: Starz’s gritty new dance drama has debuted its first episode.

Bringing to the stage an impressive resume — the series was created by Breaking Bad writer/ executive producer Moira Walley-Beckett — Flesh and Bone follows Claire (Black Swan’s Sarah Hay), a troubled but gifted ballet dancer who runs away from home to audition for a New York ballet company. Her talents catch the eye of the company’s temperamental artistic director (House of Cards’ Ben Daniels), but his expectations for Claire go beyond anything she expected. How far is she willing to go?

One of EW’s picks for the best new shows of the season, the cast of Flesh and Bone includes 22 professional ballet dancers. Among them: Center Stage actor and former American Ballet Theatre soloist Sascha Radetsky (Ross), former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Irina Dvorovenko (Kiira), Ballet Arizona company dancer Raychel Diane Weiner (Daphne), Boardwalk Empire’s Emily Tyra (Mia), and So You Think You Can Dance favorite Alex Wong. The cast also includes Josh Helman (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Damon Herriman (Justified), Tina Benko (The Good Wife) and Tovah Feldshuh (The Walking Dead).

Check out the uncompromising series premiere right here — just make sure to get to your seat before the lights go down.

WARNING: The content is intended for mature audiences and viewer discretion is advised.