Screening: Les Ballets Trockadero

Trockadero: Swan Lake

• All Male Drag Ballet company.
• Company co-founded by Peter Anastos, Anthony Bassae and Natch Taylor in 1974 in New York.
• Debuted in 14th Street, (off, off Broadway)
• After much success, the Ballet toured and in 2008 appear on the Royal Variety Show in UK.
• Dancer portray both male and female roles in a parody of ballet.
• Has a  humorous take on Ballet.
• men wearing tutus ad on pointe.
• Is the opposite of en Travesti which happen to male dancer throughout the later 19th Century early 20th.

Swan Lake Act 2

• 'Music by: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Staged by: Truitti Gasparinetti after Ivanov
  Choreography after: LevIvanovich Ivanov
  Costumes by: Mike Gonzales
  Lighting by: Kip MarshDecor by: Clio Young'

Observations:

• Prince: dancer is short, comedic effect the swans are taller.
• Makes the male role dancers look androgynous: ken doll.  With the costumes and height, they look very feminine.
• Swan
• Plate tutu smaller/narrower; makes the dancer look more elongated.  Very comical.
• Lots more layers of ruffles and frills over the crotch area: disguise!
• Performance
• Rein acting how the swan acts with gesturing and hand movements,  Very effective as its taking the Ballet mime to a new level. More literal.
• Ballet core have a personality, each have their own whereas in classical ballet they don't.

i really liked this performance of Swan Lake,  i feel that they did it so well.  It looks and feels to start with like the Company are taking the mickey out of Ballet but when you look past this you realise that they are doing exactly the same dance steps as classical ballerina.  They push boundaries with it but never overstep the mark, everything they do is harmless and respectful of what they ballerina does. The Signets technically doing every step right just with comic effect.  i was very impressed.