We always encourage Parents to expose Students to ballet and dance outside of the classroom whenever they have a chance. Seeing professional ballet productions can be not only a great inspiration for Students, but can also show them how hard work in class can one day translate into a beautiful and memorable performance that really makes the audience feel something! We try to take our older Intensive Students to the Kennedy Center a few times per year to watch the working rehearsals of the great performances that come through this famous local venue. One of the frequent attendees of these events is Ivy, one of our Intensive Students. Ivy recently watched “Coppelia” at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House with her Parents, and has written a wonderful review of the performance that we would love to share with you!
Coppelia was performed in three acts by the Bolshoi Ballet. The first act was set in a town; the second in Coppelius’s workshop; and the third act was placed in a lawn in front of a castle.
In the first act, Swanilda and Frantz danced with their friends. I enjoyed watching the dancer’s precision when they performed as a group. Their costumes were elaborate; some of Swanilda’s friends danced in high-heeled boots. When Swanilda and her friends found the key to Coppelius’s house, their indecision about whether to enter was quite amusing.
During the second act, I enjoyed watching Coppelius’s puppets stiff, comical movements. My favorite part was when Swanilda pretended to be Coppelia. Her facial expressions were very amusing; my favorite was when she posed like a puppet. When Coppelius looked away she glanced at the audience and shrugged. When Coppelius turned his attention back to Coppelia, she posed again.
During the third and final act, I enjoyed watching the Morning Hours, Aurora, the Hours of Day, and the working girls and reapers, dance. Also, the newly-made couples performed along with Swanilda and Frantz. I enjoyed watching Swanilda pique turn around the circle of her friends. The tour jetes that the dancers performed were amazing; when they finished in arabesque their leg stayed up in the air for a second, and then was gracefully brought into fifth position. Another ballet step that the dancers performed was the ponche. When Swanilda was dancing with a leaf, Frantz held her and she did a ponche.
Swanilda performed several sets of backwards bourettés. I especially enjoyed watching that ballet step because it reminded me of the backwards bourettés that I performed in Water. Swanilda also danced a series of fouetté en tournants. This was my favorite ballet move to watch because she performed it very gracefully and effortlessly.
I enjoyed watching Coppelia because I have always loved the comical story. Since this ballet is my favorite so far, I am planning on watching Cinderella performed by the Mariinsky Ballet!
Great Job, Ivy!
