Whoever said ballet was a drag?

NB: Yup I know what you're thinking, "this ain't no film blog?" and you're right but ends up at the moment I've been up to a lot of other arty hi-jinx and being made to write about it for class so figured I'd share with the blogosphere (and until i work out how to hybrid this badboy - it's getting papped on here.)

SO, FIRST UP - LADYBOY BALLET!



An unconventional police line-up



Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

King’s Theatre, Glasgow

Forget every preconception you have about traditional ballet before attending Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

Poise, elegance and impossible technical skill: they have it all in abundance but with the addition of sass - and they’ve got plenty of it!

This all-male drag ensemble, co-founded by Peter Anastos, Natch Taylor and Antony Bassae in the meat-packing district of New York in 1974, started as a group producing small, late-night shows, in off- Broadway lofts.  However, it wasn’t long before their reputation and talents led them to the international dance stage.

Affectionately known as the “Trocks”, this unique company is renowned for parodying the conventions and clichés of romantic and classical ballet.

Camp is the new black

The King’s Theatre came abuzz with tittering laughter before the lavishly dolled-up dancers even set oversized point shoe on stage, as an absurd faux-Russian voice-over introduced the amusingly named dancers ‘Ida Nevasayneva’ and ‘Ashley Romanoff-Titwillow’, apologising for the absence of dancer ‘Natalia Notgudinov’.

The show begins with the company’s unique take on Act 2 of Swan Lake, a quite literal adaptation on a classic, which demonstrates as much intensity and skill in their dancing as in the application of their Lily Savage-esque make-up.

The juxtaposition of Princess Odette’s lustrous chest hair and beautifully made up face received roaring laughter upon first glance, yet gender is quickly forgotten as the sheer skill and elegance of the dancer steals focus.   

Putting the faces of woman to shame worldwide *harrumph*

Aside from the stunning performance of the hairy princess swan, the scene stealer of this act, and possibly the
entire show, is undoubtedly the flamboyant over-actor in the Dance of the Little Swans line-up, thrusting said dancer into the spotlight for the rest of the night.

Utterly entertaining and perfectly executed, never before has Tchaikovsky been accompanied by such skilful bitchiness.  

By Act 2, Go for Barocco, the dancers are at their comic peak, attired in little black dresses and switching erratically between movements of fluid intricacy and hilariously macho struts across stage. Tears of laughter flow as the notably tall and built lead dancers of this act, clearly revving off the reaction, give their all pirouetting their flamboyant hearts out.

That's easy for her/him to do

Their last of the three pastiche performances is The Reception scene from L. Pashkova baffling, Raymonda’s Wedding. Providing more than a few laughs is the preposterous paired duo of little and large (imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in ‘Twins’, with Arnie in a dress) technical skill and razor-sharp comic timing was once again expertly executed.

(yeah i googled "Arnie in drag", n whit?) Now imagine this dancing in lycra...

Everything about the performance exudes classical training and power, but with a human edge often lacking in classical ballet. The neat, slick packaging of three concise yet energetic separate acts flew in and with a final burst of Riverdance as the finale, the crowd expressed their appreciation with a standing ovation.

Totally accessible for newcomers to this genre of dance, the marriage of humour and skill proves overwhelmingly that the Trocks are definitely much more than just men in tights. ..

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo returns to Scotland on 12/13 April 2011, Edinburgh Festival Theatre.