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Katie Powell DANC 1100-002 Swan Lake: True Love Triumphs in the End Though the ballet Swan

Lake has been performed for over 100 years, the timeless tale never grows old. I was in Provo, February 1, on the campus of Brigham Young University in the De Jong Concert Hall awaiting the start of the ballet which was being presented by BYU Theater Ballet. While the limitations of the collegiate performance could be spotted, the essence and classic feeling of the story was evident in greater measure. The timeless, tragic love story begins on a happy note. The stage is set as a castle where the hero of the story, Prince Siegfried, is celebrating his 21st birthday. The queen presents her son with a crossbow as a birthday gift. She then tells him that he is now old enough to marry and must choose a bride at the ball that will be held the next day. The prince leaves the palace and he sets off to hunt. The stage is now bathed in blues and grays and greens as the scene has shifted to the forest. Siegfried is out hunting, behind him the curtain of trees is pulled up to reveal an ethereal setting. A flowing mist moves over the stage and we see a beautiful lake. But there is something else there. The dark figure of the villain, Von Rothbart is lurking around the perimeter of the scene and then disappears. The prince come out and he has spotted a swan and takes aim. But then he sees something he wasnt expecting, for it is no longer a swan before him but a beautiful woman. The tragic heroine of the tale, Odette, is introduced to us. She is all grace and elegance, but there is sadness about her. She is dressed in white, her head crowned by white feathers. The

way she fluidly moves her arms, fluttering up and down, tells us somehow she is the swan Siegfried had seen. Enchanted by her mysterious aura, the prince tries to approach her but she pulls back and they both leave the stage in opposite directions. We are then shown a striking sight as swan after swan come out on stage, moving in unison. They keep coming until sixteen women in white tutus are present. They move around the stage as a flock of birds would. Siegfried appears again searching for Odette. They form a circle around him. Odette comes out and takes her place at the head of the swans. Odette and Siegfried then begin the pas de deux of the second act. With the other swans framing the stage, the pair begins to dance together. It is slow and tender. The music becomes minimal with a single violin and harp playing. The music is perfect for the moment as it reflects the intimate relationship of Odette and the prince as it develops. He is gentle with her and we see her trust in him grow. She does slow deliberate pirouettes and arabesques, while he steadies her. His adoration for her is clear and he wraps his arms, one by one, around her. Then they move to center stage and the swans form a V behind them. Odettes trust in the prince is fully shown as she leaps and he supports her, giving her movement more lift and she lingers in the air. The couple has fallen in love and the beauty of the dance comes to a close. Next on stage come four swans, standing shoulder to shoulder with their arms interlocked. This will be with dance of the four little swans. The dancers move in unison with each other and in time with the staccato music. As they move across the stage the four dancers must move as one, the quick steps are precise and spaced so as not to interfere with the others in the group that are so close. Even the tilt of their heads must be in unison throughout the performance. Only at the very end do the four swans separate and finish on one knee in time with

the ending flourish of the music. The next piece is a direct contrast to the dance we have just enjoyed. Four dancers come on stage for the dance of the four big swans. They move around the stage leaping, arms outstretched not restrained as the arms of the four little swans were. This piece is filled with large, sweeping movements that mirror the grandiose music. Prince Siegfried wants to proclaim his love to Odette. The evil Von Rothbart appears. He has cast a spell on Odette and the other ladies at the lake. Turning them in to swans and they can only take their true human form at night. This spell can only be broken by a man who has never loved vows his love to Odette. The sorcerer pulls the swan princess away from Siegfried. Unable to resist, she reluctantly leaves him. Siegfried can only watch her go. Back in the palace it is the night of the ball where Prince Siegfried must choose his bride. There are four princesses there vying for the Siegfrieds attention and proposal. The prince is polite but unmoved for his heart belongs to Odette. He tells his mother that he cannot marry any of them. She is disappointed and sends everyone away. Just then an unexpected guest arrives. It is Von Rothbart in disguise and with him is a woman: Odile. She looks just like Odette although she is dressed in black. Siegfried is elated because he thinks it is his love. As we watch them dance we see that though Odile looks like the swan princess her mannerisms and movement are not the same. She is devoid of any sweetness or innocence. She toys with Siegfried, letting him get close but then steps out of his embrace. Von Rothbart is upstage as they dance, he is directing Odiles moves making her imitate the swan princess. Siegfried is convinced this is Odette and with a little encouragement from Von Rothbart the prince proclaims his love for this woman in black.

The next instant the lighting and music change dramatically and we see the image of the real Odette frantically fluttering about. Siegfried now realizes what he was done. He has unwittingly pledged his love to another, dooming Odette to an eternity as a swan. The treacherous Von Rothbart runs off stage with Odile in triumph. Siegfried is overcome with despair, his grief is palpable as he runs across the stage. His body and frantic gestures express his anguish. He is inconsolable as the curtain falls. In the final act we are, once again, at the lake. This concluding scene is accompanied by Tchaikovskys iconic, dramatic score. The swans are fluttering about and they encircle their heartbroken princess. Siegfried has come to find her. He looks amongst the swans, finally spotting Odette on the ground enshrouded in mist. They dance together once more, this time it is with an air of sadness. Siegfried pleads for Odette to forgive him and she does. They profess their love anew but it will not break the curse. Von Rothbart enters to take Odette away. A battle ensues. Odette is overcome and Siegfried lays her down. The prince succeeds in defeating Von Rothbart and the spell he cast is broken. Odette regains her strength and she and her prince swear their undying love to each other. Their love has overcome all. And so the timeless love story comes to a close. The traditional story ends with Odette dying and then Siegfried dies as well and they are reunited in heaven. This production did not end in their deaths and instead the couple was able to be united while still alive. It is an emotional journey as you experience the elation of Siegfried and Odette when they fall in love, the heartbreak and anguish as the villain seems to have triumphed, and finally the satisfaction and joy as the lovers are reunited forever. It is a beautiful story that is perfectly expressed through each aspect of the ballet.

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