Classical ballet with a twist comes to The Marlowe Theatre next month (October) in the form of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.
The Trocks, as they are affectionately called, are New York's all-male professional comedy ballet company. Hurtling through a repertoire of classics as only they can, they demonstrate a deep knowledge of dance, skill, grace and wit, and prove that men can dance en pointe without falling flat on their faces!
Dancers Ida Nevasyneva, Olga Supphozova, Larisko Dumbchenko and fellow broad-shouldered, hairy-chested ballerinas grace the stage in up to size 12 pointe shoes, with their playful and entertaining take on traditional ballet.
As well as watching The Trocks, audiences have the chance to get involved at several events. These include a post-show talk, open rehearsals, a make-up seminar, and master classes for inexperienced adults, youth dance groups and over 50s groups.
Last seen in Canterbury in 2013, The Trocks' much-welcomed return marks the company's fourteenth visit to the UK and follows extensive tours to Europe and Japan in spring and summer 2015.
Presented by Dance Consortium, the performances include the show-stopping Swan Lake Act II; the abstract humour of the Merce Cunningham-inspired Patterns In Space; Go For Barocco, a satire on Balanchine's choreography complete with killer hips and plenty of attitude, and the fan-flicking, castanet-clicking, UK premiere of Don Quixote.
Founded in 1974 by a group of ballet enthusiasts, The Trocks first performed in the late-late shows in Off-Off Broadway lofts and are now treasured all around the world by audiences and critics alike. In 41 dynamic and non-stop years, the award-winning company have clocked up hundreds of thousands of touring miles to more than 610 cities in 40 countries. Company dancers currently hail from Australia, Cuba, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Spain and USA.
Under the artistic directorship of Tory Dobrin, who first joined the company as a dancer in 1980, the company continue to appeal to a wide range of theatregoers, from those new to the art form to balletomanes accustomed to the hilarity and precision of these men en pointe.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo are at The Marlowe Theatre at 7.30pm on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October. Tickets, priced from £17 to £29.50 (concessions available; booking fee applies) are from the Box Office on 01227 787787 or marlowetheatre.com. The website has full details of the participation events.
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