Dance Works

From The Ballet Bag Website (8/25/20):

Les Sylphides is a short (one act) plotless Romantic ballet, or as some would describe it, a ballet of mood, originally choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to music by Chopin. Although it is framed rather like the “divertissements in the forest” that take place in Act 2 of the full length Romantic ballet La Sylphide, Les Sylphides has nothing to do with and should not be confused with  the former.

Perhaps because of the potential for confusion with La Sylphide some ballet companies still refer to Fokine’s work by its original title: Chopiniana or Reverie Romantique: Ballet sur la musique de Chopin, as performed at the Mariinsky Theatre in 1908. However named, the version danced nowadays is the one staged for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, premiered in Paris at the Theatre du Chatelet, the 2nd of June of 1909, with an original cast led by Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Vaslav Nijinsky and Alexandra Baldina.

The ballet’s theme is that of a young man walking at night and encountering a group of white sylphs (slender young women that are spirits of the air). The name Sylph is combined from the latin sylvestris (of the woods) and nympha (nymph) dancing in the moonlight. The man joins in and dances with the sylphs. Some productions characterized this man as “a poet dreaming about his inspirations” (in many programmes the male role would be called poet) but this is really a ballet about the music rather than its characters and as the Royal Ballet ‘s programme notes, each of the female dancers is named after their own movements (Valse, Mazurka, Prelude). Given the romantic atmosphere of this piece, the ballet is very approachable and a staple in the repertory of nearly every major company in the world. Women in white romantic tutus (ie. the long ones) are always evocative and who doesn’t like to spend half an hour looking at dreamy apparitions on stage?

Mikhail Fokine, original choreographer 

Mikhail Fokine (1880-1942) born in St Petersburg, Russian choreographer Mikhail trained at the Imperial Ballet Academy before joining the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1904 he became a premier danseur and the following year he created his first choreographic work, Acis and Galatea, for a pupils’ performance, and The Dying Swan, which would become Anna Pavlova’s most famous role. Fokine was engaged by Diaghilev for his 1909 Paris season and created Le Pavillon d’Armide, Polovtsian Dances, Les Sylphides, and Cleopâtre. He worked for some time for both the Imperial Theatre and for Diaghilev; he did not return to Russia after 1918. For Diaghilev his works include Le Carnaval,  Sheherazade, Firebird, Le Spectre de la Rose, Narcisse, Petrushka, Papillons,and The Golden Cockerel. When he left Diaghilev’s company he worked as a freelance choreographer, creating new works and reviving his successes. He settled in the USA, where he worked with several dance companies, and in musical theatre and film. The Fokine American Ballet Company made its debut in 1924. Fokine, however, spent much of his time in Europe, and in 1936 was engaged as choreographerin-chief by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, where he created three successful ballets – L’Épreuve d’amour, Don Juan (both 1936) and Les Éléments (1937). He died in 1942, having created more than sixty works

By Hee Ra Yoo, choreographer:

The Living Spirit’s original starting point was Professor Guo’s music. Inspired by the music, I focused on micro-movements — simple, subtle and even premature gestures — to express the presence of unborn cells. Through minimal movement, I explored simplicity and stillness, allowing small physical details to reveal quiet beginnings and delicate life. As we worked together, the piece gradually transformed, with the professor rewriting much of the score to better serve this performance as Living Spirit.

By Moni (Jasmine) Guo, composer:

This piece grew from two earlier film scores: the documentary "Binary Thinking" and my PhD re-score of "The Laramie Project." It has been inspiring to see music once shaped by images and dialogue take on physical form. Music shapes film, and dance brings music to life. We hope this performance offers vitality, connection and inspiration.

Act III: The Palace 

To celebrate Aurora’s wedding, a magnificent, masked ball in the style of Louis XIV, the Sun King of France is held. The prince’s friends arrive dressed as characters from his beloved fairytale book. Aurora’s fairy godmothers bring lavish wedding gifts: emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds. Amid much dancing and merriment, the prince and Aurora are blessed by the Lilac Fairy and married; they will succeed to the throne and will rule over the kingdom in peace and happiness.

Marius Petipa, original choreographer

Marius Petipa (1818–1910) was one of the most influential figures of classical ballet. His choreography forms the basis of The Royal Ballet’s productions of The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, La Bayadère and Coppélia, among others. Petipa was born in Marseilles. His father was a dancer and Petipa began dancing in his father’s travelling company aged nine. Aged 16 he joined Théâtre Nantes, where he also created a number of ballets. He studied in Paris with Auguste Vestris before going on to work as a dancer around France. In May 1847 he arrived in St Petersburg and two months later made his debut as principal dancer and ballet master of the Mariinsky, starring in his re-staging of Joseph Mazilier’s Paquita. His breakthrough as a choreographer came in 1859 with his production of La Fille du pharaon and in 1869 he was made Chief Choreographer. In addition to creating original works such as Don Quixote (1869) and La Bayadère (1877), he restaged pre-existing works, including Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot’s Giselle (1884) and Arthur Saint-Léon’s Coppélia (1884). Petipa’s 1890 production of Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty was followed by productions of The Nutcracker (1892) and Swan Lake (1895), both created with Lev Ivanov. His last great work was Raymonda (1898), before he retired in 1903. Petipa’s ballets were grand spectacles that made magnificent use of the corps de ballet and placed the lead ballerina centre stage. His theatre and school became a model for all ballet around the globe throughout the 20th century [rbo.org.uk]

By Shauna Steele, choreographer:

This work is part of a larger concert we will present at the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe August 4-16, 2026 in Scotland.

Where We Remain is our internal, external and multidirectional space. It is where the multitudes that we contain take root, hold firm, evolve, grow, expand, shrink or change. We as a multitude and as a singularity are complex, contradictory and multifaceted. We contain many parts that is our song of self. It is neither singular nor static. We hold varying, often opposing, identities, thoughts and emotions, allowing us to evolve and embrace our internal complexity. It is an invitation to accept the full, messy and wonderful scope of human existence within us and others, rather than relying on narrow, singular labels. Embrace complexity. Realize contradiction is normal. Embrace don’t fear the evolving self. Connect with others. Where we remain is where we continue to exist, especially after other similar or related parts of ourselves have ceased to exist. Who we become is all about...The One You Feed.