4 replies to this topic

[silvy]

I got the idea of posting this out of a similar post in the Swan Lake archive.  i wonder if it is absolutely necessary for a ballerina who dances Kitri (3rd act PDD) to do the 32 fouettes.  If so, why would you say so?  If not, what examples have you seen of dancers who do not do them?

I thought this might be interesting

silvy

[carbro]

:yes: I think the role of Kitri is a frankly show-off role, and therefore, unless the ballerina has something more spectacular for those 32 counts, yes, Kitri must do fouettes.

[Mel Johnson]

In the Olde Dayes, Kitri didn't do 32 fouettés, but entered on the beginning of the second theme music and did about 12 fouettés.  Then she'd do these huge piqué turns that were like coupé jetés, and for a last diagonal, keep piquéing out, double time.  Then Basilio could start with his grand pirouette, and you know the rest.  Of course, it depended on which ballerina you saw.

[Hans]

Mel, what happened after the grands pirouettes?  From what I've seen, currently, the music either repeats so that Kitri can do piqué turns or she just comes out and poses.  I'm guessing the music repeat is a modern addition...?

[Mel Johnson]

The music didn't used to repeat.  Kitri enters from UR still doing the double-time piqués, taps Basilio on the shoulder with either her hand or the fan and the two go up center, run to the footlights, she does a beaten assemblé, lifted, bourrées, then a double pirouette and finish in arabesque or anything that comes to mind.