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Waltzing socialites make heads spin

We take a look at the movement behind the melancholy in La traviata.

By Katie Vernon-Smith (Digital Learning Producer)

5 October 2011 at 11.14am | 1 Comment

Drunks, flirts, excessive dresses and broken hearts. Nope we aren’t talking about The Only Way is Essex, but La traviata. Back at the opera house for 22 performances and as popular as ever we decided to look at the movement behind the melancholy.

We were lucky enough to talk to Movement Director Jane Gibson and film her in action as she guided the dancers through the movement phrases in a last minute rehearsal just one hour before their first performance. We also cornered a gypsy and a matador, two dancers also known as Isabel and Raphael, who told us about their roles and how they make their characters so dynamic.

Take a look at a selection of behind the scenes photographs by Neil Gillespie:

  • Dancers from La Traviata © Neil Gillespie/ROH 2011
  • Dancers from La Traviata © Neil Gillespie/ROH 2011
  • La Traviata © Neil Gillespie/ROH 2011
  • La Traviata © Neil Gillespie/ROH 2011
  • La Traviata © Neil Gillespie/ROH 2011
  • Dancers from La Traviata © Neil Gillespie/ROH 2011

 

By Katie Vernon-Smith (Digital Learning Producer)

5 October 2011 at 11.14am

This article has been categorised Dance, Opera and tagged choreography, Dance, Jane Gibson, La traviata, movement, opera

This article has 1 comment

  1. Margaret James responded on 10 October 2011 at 8:53amReply

    I was thrilled to see the first performance of this Traviata on 3 October, and now I am equally thrilled to go behind the scenes to obtain an insight to the depth of the preparation. Well done Royal Ballet; well done dancers; well done Jane Gibson; bravo.

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