JOIN USThe popular Russian ballet ‘Swan Lake’ was performed by the students of Shona Dee Academy of Dance at Chowdiah Memorial Hall recently. Choreographed and trained by Shona D’Sa, tiny tots and teens danced to the tunes of Mozart and other classical legends. The act was divided in two parts and told the story of Odette, a princess who is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse.
Flaunting skills that the students harnessed after months of rigorous practice, they enthralled the audience with pirouettes and poise. ‘Swan Lake’ was the highlight of the programme, which was performed by the seniors of the academy. It was pure pleasure watching the dancers trying to perfect every move and making the stage look ethereal.
The fleeting dancers made the performance look effortless and brought out a special quality to the entire performance. Shona was one of the main dancers who played the role of the swan and Odette. She moved with a lot of grace and left the audience glued to their seats and the dancers were more or less transformed into spotless white swans floating in the pond, with the moonlight caressing the ripples and slowing their gracious movements.
Shona said, “It is a ballet dancer’s dream to perform ‘Swan Lake’. And when you say ‘Swan Lake’ people have high expectations; to measure up to that expectation was quite challenging.” Priyabrat, a contemporary dancer who played Prince Seigfried, had never performed ballet on stage. She said, “It was challenging and exciting at the same time.”
Shona had re-choreographed certain portions to suit the students and over 45 performers of 14 years and above helped put up a spectacular show with just two months of preparation. Ayushi and Alisha have been learning ballet dancing for over 15 and 11 years respectively. The two girls were thrilled to be part of a popular ballet opera which they considered to be their biggest opportunity.
Their two-month preparation paid off as the dancers perfected nuances, and the coordination of all the dancers was well-timed. The dancers exhibited poise and elegance through intricate footwork as they danced in their ballerina shoes, with colourful costumes and subtle make-up. The audience comprised people of various age groups and also some first-time ballet spectators.
Revathi, who was watching ballet for the first time, was left spellbound by the dancer’s body movements and flexibility. “Ballet is still very new in India and it is refreshing to see such events being held in the City. It’s a whole new experience,” she ended.