A dancer glides across the stage, turning and twirling wearing a pastel, beaded-lace tutu. One cannot help but be amazed by the balance of grace and strength.
Then you realize that this dancer has hairy, muscular legs and wears a size 14 pointe shoe, a guy in a prima ballerina disguise.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male, world-renowned ballet company, is coming to the Fillmore Theater this Tuesday for a one-night-only performance. The Trocks, the company’s nickname, was founded in 1974 by a group of ballet enthusiasts as a fun way to parody classical ballet. The company gained popularity quickly, and now travels all over the world to perform their humorous takes on famous story ballets like “Swan Lake” and “Romeo and Juliet.”
“They know ballet, and it might be comical, but they’re beautiful dancers,” said Professor Katherine Londono, head of the Frost School’s dance program. “It just shows that you neither have to have a ballet body nor be a female to dance beautifully. They’re spectacular.”
The Trocks have achieved cult popularity in many countries, especially in Japan, and the show will not disappoint. The men dance both the male and the female roles, with the majority of the company dressing as females. They even dance in pointe shoes, the shoes that ballerinas wear that allow them to balance on their toes.
Although the company may be parodying classical ballet their talent is top-notch, and they are able to execute spectacular jumps, leaps and turns that would make a female dancer jealous.
“I am so excited to see the Ballets Trockadero when they are in Miami on Tuesday,” said Jacki Coffey, a freshman who has trained in ballet. “And I would absolutely love to see these guys perform ballet on pointe.”
The Fillmore still has some tickets for the event available online from $25 to $75. The most expensive seats are the only section that has sold out, but it’s best to buy the tickets soon.
The Filmore Theater is located on Miami Beach and is the perfect setting for a different night out in Miami. So forget the Grove for one Tuesday and try something new. Your inner artiste will thank you.
Nancy Oben may be contacted at noben@ththemiamihurricane.com.
If You Go
Where: Fillmore / Jackie Gleason Theatre, Miami Beach
When: Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $25, $50, $65, $75