By Evie Tyce, year 8.
In June to July 2023, English Youth Ballet put on a production of Swan Lake and it was the best version there is. From the tragic story of Odette to the death of the Prince, every movement was a story.
It's a beautiful story about the rivalry between the evil black swan Odile and the beautiful, but vulnerable, white swan Odette. The story takes place in Russia and is about Odette being cursed to be a swan by day and a human by night. The Prince discovers Odette while he's out hunting swans and cygnets. They dance a beautiful pas de deux, which ends as they are separate by Odette's evil father, Baron Von Rothburn, who cursed her to be a swan.
Later that night at the ball, Odile, Odette's evil sister, is disguised as Odette. She is confident that she can win the Prince's heart. Odette crashes the party during the Black Swan pas de deux, just after the Prince asks to marry Odile, thinking it was Odette. Rothburt is furious at Odile and abandons her at the ball leaving her to feel sad.
The final scene is when Odette and the Prince resolve their problems. Rothburt attempts to kill Odette, but the Prince saves her by getting stabbed. Rothburt dies. Odette and Odile have an argument about their father's death, ending in Odette banishing Odile from the enchanted forest. The story ends in tragedy with the Prince dying a tragic death after being stabbed earlier, leaving Odette alone.
It is a truly magical interpretation of Tchaikovsky's ballet and I definitely recommend watching it wherever you can!
My experience of being in the production was astounding. I was one of the cygnets. It took us the whole of June and some of July to rehearse. We rehearsed on Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday at Sewell Park Academy. Every Sunday afternoon we would all sit in the gym and show everyone our dances.
Stepping out on stage was truly magnificent. I was in scene two and scene four. I danced: the intro; the waltz of the swnas; the dance of the cygnets; coda; ext; and one dance for all of scene four. It was an amazing experience and I'm very grateful that I got the opportunity.
In June to July 2023, English Youth Ballet put on a production of Swan Lake and it was the best version there is. From the tragic story of Odette to the death of the Prince, every movement was a story.
It's a beautiful story about the rivalry between the evil black swan Odile and the beautiful, but vulnerable, white swan Odette. The story takes place in Russia and is about Odette being cursed to be a swan by day and a human by night. The Prince discovers Odette while he's out hunting swans and cygnets. They dance a beautiful pas de deux, which ends as they are separate by Odette's evil father, Baron Von Rothburn, who cursed her to be a swan.
Later that night at the ball, Odile, Odette's evil sister, is disguised as Odette. She is confident that she can win the Prince's heart. Odette crashes the party during the Black Swan pas de deux, just after the Prince asks to marry Odile, thinking it was Odette. Rothburt is furious at Odile and abandons her at the ball leaving her to feel sad.
The final scene is when Odette and the Prince resolve their problems. Rothburt attempts to kill Odette, but the Prince saves her by getting stabbed. Rothburt dies. Odette and Odile have an argument about their father's death, ending in Odette banishing Odile from the enchanted forest. The story ends in tragedy with the Prince dying a tragic death after being stabbed earlier, leaving Odette alone.
It is a truly magical interpretation of Tchaikovsky's ballet and I definitely recommend watching it wherever you can!
My experience of being in the production was astounding. I was one of the cygnets. It took us the whole of June and some of July to rehearse. We rehearsed on Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday at Sewell Park Academy. Every Sunday afternoon we would all sit in the gym and show everyone our dances.
Stepping out on stage was truly magnificent. I was in scene two and scene four. I danced: the intro; the waltz of the swnas; the dance of the cygnets; coda; ext; and one dance for all of scene four. It was an amazing experience and I'm very grateful that I got the opportunity.
