Johannesburg - A ballet production with a difference, titled "Men in Tutus", with tongue-in-cheek humour and comedy thrown into the mix, does not in the least undermine the challenges of performing the complex choreography and technical brilliance of a classical ballet.
Set to start its South African tour next week, the ballet is presented by Les Ballets Eloelle, led by founder, artistic director, and lead dancer Victor Trevino, and has an all-male cast of New York features dancers from the US, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines, Australia, Colombia, the Isle of Wight, and Japan, and also includes South African dancer Joel Morris.
The dancers, all with different cultural backgrounds and experience, have trained at institutions such as the New York Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, Royal Swedish Ballet, Berlin State Opera Ballet, English National Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Royal Ballet, and the Paris Opera Ballet.
The lavish costumes, pointe shoes, tiaras, and tutus make this a spectacular for the whole family. The troupe will perform for the first time in South Africa at MonteCasino in Johannesburg from April 12 to 14 - four performances only - then moves on to Cape Town's Artscape Theatre Centre from April 18 to 21.