Eva Kistrup

A Danish Sleeping Beauty, sort of

Christopher Wheeldon: "The Sleeping Beauty"
Royal Danish Ballet
November 26, 2010

Christopher Wheeldon's production of "The Sleeping Beauty" for Nikolaj Hübbe's Royal Danish Ballet aims to build on the core values of the company, including the strong dramatic skills of its performers. Therefore more focus has been put on the character parts, and he has built bigger roles for Carabousse and the Lilac fairy, the latter a mime part in this production.

The result is a very skillful production with a fast pace, but unfortunately Wheeldon's choice of designer is counter to his project of making this Beauty a truly Danish Beauty.

US TOUR 2011 Interview with Thomas Lund

 

The many faces of Thomas Lund

At 36 one would expect a ballet dancer would be on the brink on wrapping up his career, focus on fewer and more mature roles and start considering whether to become a teacher, a character dancer or an instructor.

Well not if the dancer in question is Thomas Lund. Not only has he been a teacher, character dancer and instructor since his juvenile years. He had also with great success entered into the field of choreography with his smash hit family ballet: ”Teddy goes Ballet”. And now he is preparing to have his debut as Siegfried in “Swan Lake” and Desireé in “The Sleeping Beauty”.

The Value of a Partnership

 
Royal Danish Ballet

Peter Martins:

"Swan Lake"

August Bournonville/Nikolaj Hübbe:

"Napoli"

November 2010

The success of a ballet performance is contingent on several factors: choreography, music, set and costume design, as well as the casting and talent of the individual dancers. Often good choreography can balance bad choices on the other factors. Sometimes good dancing can cover bad choreography. The director has a secret weapon: the value of a good partnership. In the final performance of Peter Martins' "Swan Lake" this weapon was put to good use by rematching Gudrun Bojesen and Thomas Lund.