Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

The Trocks are back. A cheery company of flamboyant, ersatz Russian, male ballerinas once again commandeers Joyce Theater for cheeky interpretations and original collaborations. Fa La Dee Dah. Irreverence might entirely reign were the dancing not so good.

Le Lac Des Cygnes (Swan Lake Act II)
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Thcaikovsky
Choreography after Lev Ivanovich Ivanov
 
A signature work of Les Ballets Trockadero, Act II features Prince Siegfried’s, Araf Legupski (Andrea Fabbri) love of Princess Odette,Colette Adae (Jake Speakman) turned into a swan by evil sorcerer, Von Rothbart, Yuri Smirnov (Robert Carter) and the prince’s unsuccessful attempt to spirit her away with the help of bumbling Benno, Marat Legupski (Salvador Sasot).

Picture Swan Lake whirling on its usual toes when a bird trips and falls, brushes herself off, grimaces and continues; an awkward lift where the uncomfortable ballerina looks like a squirming sack; a magician who shoots lightening from his splayed fingers; a dancer who exits smack into a wall… Entrechat (jump where the feet cross in front and behind each other in quick succession) is graceful as are undulating arms.
Araf Legupski is, alas, expressionless.  Anya Marx’s Joan Crawford mouth evokes a silent film. She’s adept.

Patterns in Space
Taped Music by Andrew Franck
Live Music after John Cage
Choreography after Merce Cunningham

Grunya Protazova (Salvador Sasot), Bertha Vinayshinsky (Sergio Najera), Pavel Tord (Marias Dominguez),
Musicians Olga Supphozova (Robert Carter and Timur Legupski (Jake Speakman) The “musicians” create sounds with everything from crumpled paper and kazoos to hitting a pot and baahing like a sheep. Three dancers move stiffly.

Yes, Virginia, Another Piano Ballet
Music Frederic Chopin
Choreography – Peter Anastos

Pavel Mikhail Mudkin (Raydel Caceres), Vyacheslau Legupski (Vincent Brewer), Anya Marx (Shohei Iwahama “with a grey chiffon underlay”), Ludmila Beaulemova (Trent Montgomery “with a slight tilt to the left”), Holly Dey-Abroad (Felix Milinero del Paso “with a sparkle in her eye”). Executed in ballet, not toe shoes.

A toy piano stage right is barely acknowledged. Dance is classical except: a ballerina is carried horizontally across the stage, kicks often end in flat feet not points, arms windmill, a smack of upturned sole evokes folk dancing, one performer falls over the piano (not easy), another is whirled folded over her partner’s shoulder on her stomach – and falls off. Dancing otherwise is an amalgam of traditional and contemporary. There’s lightness to this piece; ballooning (light jumping).

The Dying Swan, tonight played with extravagant skill, feeling and ego by veteran Olga Supphozova (Robert Carter). left her usual trail of molting feathers. And universal grins. Brava!

Raymonda’s Wedding
Music by Alexander Glazunov
Choreography after Marius Petipa
Attractively ornate Costumes by Mike Gonzales and Ken Busbin
Marvelous Décor by chas. b. slackman

Much of this is allegro. Cabriole (A jump in which the dancer extends their legs out from their body and beats their calves together before landing) is precise. Hierarchy seems clear. Choreographed court dancing reflects politesse. Spirits begin high and rise. The bride Varvara Laptopva (Takaomi Yoshino) does a neat cartwheel. She is, in fact, wonderful. Her partner, Count Jean de Brienne, Bruno Backpfeifengesicht (Felix Molinero del Paso) projects just the right attitude.

With Olga Supphozova (Robert Carter), Colette Adae (Jake Speakman), Titana Youbetyabootskaya (Andrea Fabbri), Varva Laptopova (Takaomi Yoshino)

Two observations having followed this company for years: Mens’ wigs are over the top campy which distracts from performance. An excess of mishaps, many of the same kind, takes away the element of surprise and anomaly. I particularly mean you, redhead. Satire should be played straight. Also WHERE are the hysterical Russian biographies to which we giggle through intermissions?

Photo of Olga Supphozova (Robert Carter) The Dying Swan by JL Marrero

My interview with Artistic Director Tory Dobrin.

Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Joyce Theater
175 Eighth Avenue  
Through Sunday January 5, 2024

About Alix Cohen (1922 Articles)
Alix Cohen is the recipient of ten New York Press Club Awards for work published on this venue. Her writing history began with poetry, segued into lyrics and took a commercial detour while holding executive positions in product development, merchandising, and design. A cultural sponge, she now turns her diverse personal and professional background to authoring pieces about culture/the arts with particular interest in artists/performers and entrepreneurs. Theater, music, art/design are lifelong areas of study and passion. She is a voting member of Drama Desk and Drama League. Alix’s professional experience in women’s fashion fuels writing in that area. Besides Woman Around Town, the journalist writes for Cabaret Scenes, Broadway World, TheaterLife, and Theater Pizzazz. Additional pieces have been published by The New York Post, The National Observer’s Playground Magazine, Pasadena Magazine, Times Square Chronicles, and ifashionnetwork. She lives in Manhattan. Of course.