A-LISTS theatre
Ballet With a Twist
RobeRt
CaRteR
of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
by william bradley
Audiences are in for a rare treat as the world-renowned Les Ballets
Trockadero de Monte Carlo, affectionately known as the “Trocks” comes
to town on February 18 for one-night-only at the Balboa Theatre. What
sets the members of this dance company apart from others is not only
their amazing skills in classical ballet but the fact that the all-male troupe
performs in make-up and costume as ballerinas. This twist of the arts
evokes humorous asides to each performance. Ballet dancer Robert
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Carter offers a glimpse into this fabulous and hilarious world of dance.
The Rage Monthly: I am well aware that the Trocks mean serious business when it comes to of being in trouble…he encouraged it. So, in addition to my technique classes,
ballet…but the hitch is in the humor added…who comes up with the slight of hand and pointe class was added three times a week.
extended funny business that create laughter around the basis of the performance?
Robert Carter: Well, first of all, all of the choreographies are original choreog- Rage: Do you do any of Martha Graham’s or George Ballanchine’s choreography in the show?
raphies. Be they made for the company or from Petipa’s reperetory or the older RC:I heard that years ago there were a couple pieces that were take-offs of
Russian rep. A lot of the time there are instances where a joke is intended but Martha Graham and we have a couple of Balanchine–style pieces but not to my
sometimes it’s also the dancer who helps to create the joke and make it unique, as knowledge any more than that.
all of our personalities are different and each individual’s unique approach varies.
Rage: Ballet dancing is so physically demanding…you’ve been with the troupe for almost
Rage: Please share your first experience with pointe shoes. 20 years. What is one of the most challenging aspects for you as a dancer?
RC:I began training ballet at age 8 and so I was fascinated from the start with RC:I would have to say that one of the most challenging things as a dancer
pointe shoes. I think that I was also drawn to them because of the taboo surround- would be to maintain a consistency and continual growth and depth in my danc-
ing boys en pointe and its widely forbidden side. I would beg the older girls for ing; as I mature, so does my work. Especially being in a repertory company, where
their old shoes and keep the ones that would fit and play in a empty studio trying repetition is a hallmark. However, no two performaces are the same. The spark
things and seeing how far I could go. Once, my teacher caught me, and instead or allure to each night has a completely different dynamic dependant on the
10 RAGE monthly | February 2010
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