msd Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Okay, I've heard that this all-male company performs on pointe, in traditionally-female roles. My 10-year-old dancing daughter let me know that the company is coming to our city for a performance the end of this month, and she would like to go. She's seen Mark Morris' "Hard Nut", and had no issues with the men in the snow scene (in fact she was fascinated to consider how the male dancers pulled this off). But anyway, here's the question -- is this an okay show for a 10 year old? Anybody seen them -- can you tell me what to expect for her (and for me)? Thanks! msd Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 By all means, msd. I'll admit to liking "real girls" in tutus more, but that's a different issue. You may have to explain "Mommy, why is that man in a tutu?" but it's mostly good, silly fun and suitable for the family. I don't recall them ever doing anything risqué. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I think I'd take a child, msd. There's nothing risque about the show at all. As a matter of fact, they do a repertory that would have been danced in the 1940s and 1950s. A child may have questions about how a man can look so like a woman -- or not! -- and why one might want to ("They never get to dance on pointe in a real company, dear, and besides, women's roles are better," is how my aunt would have handled it.) The Trocks are very funny, and people can respond to the physical comedy of it even if they don't get the ballet jokes. On the other hand, your child might be disappointed that it's not as racy as the Super Bowl half-time show and commercials! (disclaimer: I write as a childless dance fanatic who would probably take a child to see anything that didn't have nudity or wasn't hideoulsy scary) Link to comment
BW Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Take your daughter, she'll absolutely love it! :grinning: The more someone knows about ballet - the classics - the more laughs will be had, but even without this background the Trocks are a lot of good fun! They're pretty darn good, too. :bouncing: Link to comment
vagansmom Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I agree - it's a great show for kids. Their humor is zany, not risque, and pokes lots and lots of fun at ballet. Your daughter will love it. I'd see them again in a heartbeat and take my nieces and nephews (and I'm a mom who wouldn't let my young adolescents see some PG13 films). And your daughter will rave at their technical ability! We saw them do Paquita the same month my daughter had the lead role in it at her ballet school. Daughter wondered, after seeing the male dancer perform that variation en pointe, if she should just hang up her pointe shoes forever! Link to comment
sandik Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Absolutely -- both you and your daughter should go. Kids often get parody in a direct way, even if they don't know the original work being parodied. Think of the great Chuck Jones cartoons about opera! Link to comment
chauffeur Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 My daughter first saw a Trock show on A&E or Bravo when she was 9, and she loved it. Any humor that is even vaguely sexual in nature goes straight over their heads at that point (the only sex joke I can even think of was in their Swan Lake where the prince comes back in from the wings after exiting with whichever one is the bad vixen swan and coughs out a feather: dd didn't get it at all). But seeing their version of the 4 Little Swans is beyond priceless. We had just endured a spring concert at her dance school where not one but two groups performed the number -- just as badly but certainly not on purpose. I'd go and not worry in the least. Link to comment
Hal Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 But seeing their version of the 4 Little Swans is beyond priceless Be careful. I can never look at that variation again without thinking about the trocks version. Recently saw a fantastic version at NYCB but kept thinking of the trocks throughout it and had a big grin on my face at the recollection. My wife did too! You and your daughter and anyone else you can take will love it. They are not humorous, they are outright FUNNY. Laughing out loud funny. Don't miss them. And they do even have some pretty amazing technique considering that many of them are huge men on pointe. Link to comment
chauffeur Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 I can never look at that variation again without thinking about the trocks version. I can't hear the music without thinking of the Trocks, earnestly muscling their way through that number. And when I think of that, I feel happy. And when I feel happy, the world's a better place for a little while! God bless the Trocks (even if they can't marry each other in most states of the union)! Link to comment
Chedva Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 :offtopic: They may soon be able to marry in this state of the union (MA)! Link to comment
BryanM Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 B) Definately will take our kids -- in fact I find children before adolescence have no qualms whatsever -- we learn this inhibitions much later in life. The other fact is that this theatre, as traditions in other forms (takurazuka in Japan, kabuki) is quite serious in its funniness. -Bryan Link to comment
msd Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 Thanks, all for your advice -- took the 10-year-old...and she (and I) loved the show! She had to explain some of the ballet jokes to nondancing me, and especially enjoyed how the dying swan "molts" all over the stage. We ended up in the second row (with comp tickets, I'm happy to take what I can get!), so she got a chance to see the pointework, strong musculature...and really, really, really bad makeup up close. It was a bit jarring at first to see hairy chests stuffed into tutus...but once the dancing started, we moved between hilarity and amazement -- those guys can dance. Thanks again for the encouragement to go -- it was a blast! msd Link to comment
coffee Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Does anybody know where I might be able to see a listing of the places they are touring? I couldn't find anything on the web when I looked. Link to comment
carbro Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Try this, Coffee: http://www.trockadero.org/2004schedule.html Wow! Are these guys busy! Link to comment
coffee Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Darn...the closest they come is Ohio. I was hoping for Chicago...oh well. Thanks for the site, carbo! Link to comment
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