Performers with stage names like Ida Nevasayneva, Tatiana Youbetyabootskaya, Minnie van Driver, and Nadia Doumiafeyva danced their way into audiences’ hearts, or funny bones, Friday night at the Performing Arts Center.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male ballet group, wore tutus, tights and terrifying makeup during their two-hour performance parodying classical ballets.
The men played the parts of female and male dancers in well-known pieces like “Swan Lake” and “Don Quixote.” Donning tutus, crowns and makeup, the men transformed into their female, Russian stage characters, pushed each other for stage space, got into fights and forgot their choreography.
The playful atmosphere, mixed with the original ballet music and genuine dancing talent, created a winning performance full of laughs.
The performance began with a parody of the popular ballet “Swan Lake.” Men wearing flowing, white dresses and wigs of hair tied into tight, ballet style buns, played the part of the swans. Just like the real ballet, the men were graceful, light on their feet, and coordinated.
However, with the inclusion of a fight between the swans, one dancer who just couldn’t seem to keep up with the others, and a few “accidental” falls, the men transformed the beautiful ballet into a masterpiece of humor.
The two main performers in the piece, the prince and the swan queen, wearing a white tutu and tiara, made a hilarious duo with their impressive lifts and humorous chemistry.
One of the best parts of the show was the molting of the swan queen. As the queen danced gracefully, her tutu started to shed feathers, and soon, to the audience’s pleasure, the dancer began throwing all the lost feathers back onto the tutu while attempting to contain her (or his) frustration and keep her poise on stage.
Another equally outrageous performance was a scene where about 10 dancers performed “Go for Barocco,” which included fast walking, tripping and the occasional shimmy.
With these and other parodies of classic ballets, Les Ballets Trockadero created an award-winning show, gaining the attention of reviewers and audiences around the globe. The trained and skilled dancers and the lack of seriousness on the stage allow the “Trocks” to appeal to ballet enthusiasts and novices alike. The talent on stage is real, just with an addition of humor that anyone can appreciate.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo was founded in 1974 by ballet enthusiasts with the hopes of making a parody form of ballet. The group has performed on and off Broadway since its beginning and is well-known worldwide.
Friday night was the first time Les Ballets Trockadero has performed at the Performing Arts Center with the theater roughly 85 percent full.
Any information about the “Trocks” or their next show is available on their Web site, www.trockadero.org.