I saw Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo at Wolverhampton Grand and I'm still smiling. This all-male troupe, originally from New York, perform a breathtaking version of Swan Lake that is as beautifully brilliant as it is hilariously funny.
A Punt That Paid Off
When I first suggested to my friend that we went to see an all-male ballet troupe that was nothing like Matthew Bourne's ensemble, I knew we were taking a bit of a punt. It was around 20 years ago and we drove all the way over to Warwick Arts Centre to see them. And they were so totally fabulous, we have talked about them ever since, promising ourselves we'd try our best to see them again. So, as soon as we saw Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo were on tour again, and coming to the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre we knew we had to go.
We wondered if time had clouded our memories and we were looking back through rose-tinted glasses. Could tutus and testosterone really work as well on stage as we had remembered? The moment the first dancer came on, we realised we had nothing to fear.
The Magic of The Trocks
There's something truly magical about The Trocks (as they are affectionately known) - the razor-sharp accuracy and timing, the precision and technique, the attention to detail. This is ballet on a grand scale because of the sheer physicality of all of the dancers, and the wit and humour they inject into every performance.
Yes, it is laugh out loud funny in parts but this isn't a comedy. This is ballet without the stuffiness, dance with the drama made much more visual, the stories way easier to understand, thanks to the slight flick of a hand, brush of a brow, shrug of the shoulders. There are slapstick moments when one of the dancers ends up in the wrong line, falls flat on their back or is pushed over by another. But it was the subtle moments I loved the most. The nod to traditional ballet and the abandon that it can be fun, light-hearted and full of joy and laughter. All at the same time with nothing lost and everything gained.
A 51-Year Legacy
Now 51 years old, the troupe began in New York City following the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. We were lucky enough to go to a Q&A session at the end with associate artistic director Raffaele Morra who told us about the history of the company and how the dances are choreographed. They stick to the traditional ballet moves you would see by the Bolshoi Ballet or Birmingham Royal Ballet but then the dancers are given the freedom to add in their own jokes, their own satire, often as a result of mistakes in rehearsals that are then incorporated on stage.
Highlights of the Performance
Set over three acts, with two intervals, my favourite part was The Trocks' signature version of Swan Lake. It was as breathtakingly beautiful as it was hilarious. These male swans danced en pointe in swan tutus with hairy chests exposed in some cases. Their bird-like movements, the peck of the head, the jolt of the neck, the ruffle of the shoulders and elbows, made them both believable and wonderfully wry. I loved the subtle moments, like the prince brushing off bird poo as much as the fights and the squabbles. The way they hissed was amazing and we were stunned when Odette actually screamed.
In all my years of watching ballet, I have never seen anyone dance like Takaomi Yoshino, whose stage name is Varvara Laptopova. Every move, leap, jump and pirouette looked effortless and was dizzyingly brilliant at the same time. They just looked so light on their feet, it was magnificent. In fact, I found it hard to watch anyone else when they were on stage.
The Dying Swan and Other Delights
Everyone in the audience loved The Trocks' take on The Dying Swan - a solo created for Anna Pavlova in 1905 which would become her most famous dance. This was danced by Robert Carter, who is the troupe's veteran of 32 years and goes under the name of Olga Supphozova. Each ballerina who performs this dance gets to make their own take on it and this one was very slapstick, with the poor swan losing her feathers as she danced before ultimately collapsing on stage, then cheekily reappearing twice after the curtain had closed.
I also loved the closing performance of Valpurgeyava Noch, inspired by the Bolshoi Ballet, which is based upon an ancient European spring festival known as the 'springtime equivalent of Halloween' that is celebrated with bonfires, feasts, and folklore. This was a wonderful woodland scene with mythical creatures. I loved the impishness of all the characters, particularly the main character, played again by Takaomi Yoshino. It was playful, dreamy and incredibly athletic.
Why You Must See The Trocks
If you love ballet, you need to see The Trocks. If you have never seen ballet before and don't think ballet is for you, you need to see The Trocks. In short, go see The Trocks, you won't be disappointed.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo was brought to the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre by the Dance Consortium, a group of 24 large-scale venues based across the UK and Ireland that have a shared passion for engaging people with the best contemporary dance from across the world. Since its formation in 2000, Dance Consortium has presented over 56 tours by 30 different companies from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Israel, The Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA. We are very lucky to have this right on our doorstep. Check out their next performances at the Wolverhampton Grand so see something new.
Tour Dates
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre on May 16 then heading to Southampton, Newcastle, Bradford, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Canterbury, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Buxton between now and the end of June.
