What a fantastic afternoon! Yvonne had never been to the ballet, so I arranged for us to see Swan Lake at the Coliseum for our birthdays next week. But- ballet with a difference; presented by the Guangdong Acrobatic Troupe of China. The principals' set pieces were more or less faithful to Petita's original choreography, but the pas-de-deux had Odette pirouetting on the Prince's shoulder, his hand (with his arm vertical) and his head! She's only tiny and 7 stone, but still.....! Amazing! Add to the mix lifts on unicycles, juggling, tightrope-en-pointe, tumbling and landing en pointe (ow!), contortionists, gravity- and laws of physics-defying balances, juggling, the corps de ballet on roller skates so they could glide like real swans, ungainly just-born-out-of-suitcases male cygnets resplendent in tutus, and frogs dancing on handstands and you get the picture. Totally original and a real spectacle. Do catch them if you get the chance. Last day in London today, but touring afterwards, or look here on youtube:
I would like to go to a ballet like that, dont like contortionist's though x
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