I know it is traditional and you can't remove it but the entrance of the shades with the penchees is SO BORING! From a dancer's point of view, watching it may be slightly interesting as you can see who has a bad technique but from everyone I have ever talked to who doesn't dance finds it boring. If I was ever staging it, I would have two ramps from either side of the stage, not just one and have the shades coming on in pairs holding the same hands as their supporting leg and always alternating between legs. This means four people are coming on at one time and it would be over four times as fast (maybe even in time for the next phrase of music) and then you could have a proper dance of the shades.

What do you think? Would it be too risky?

That's one way to do it, and you could also up the tempo a bit, but how would it suggest the hypnotic quality that reflects Solor's drug-induced stupor?

I've watched it with people who weren't dance-knowledgeable, and they said they found it quite hypnotic, and were fascinated.

I love the entrance of the shades, and I'm not exactly new to ballet, although I'm no big expert.

It's probably because it is hypnotic that I love it, a time you can just sit back and relax and reflect on things. Of course, some companies do it better than others.

And while we're at it, why not replace those tatty white tutus with red leather bustiers and sequined thongs. That wouldn't be boring either.

Mel!

I saw the Kirov perform Kingdom of the Shades live with someone who is very quick to point out anything boring. She loved the whole thing; it moved her to tears. Said the entrance of the shades was delicate and beautiful.

With apologies to John McEnroe: MINKUS PUGNI, YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!

the entrance of the shades is unquestionably structured with repeated effects, but the most notable of the moves/postures doesn't really qualify as arabesque penchee. such penche moves take the dancer's torso lower in equal measure to the raising of the arabesque leg, a sort of strong leaning, tilt - think of such moments and moves in the Act 2 of GISELLE for both Giselle and Myrtha. what the corps de ballet does in the 'entrance' sequence climaxes more in a pose that could be called arabesque allongee, plie a quart.

And imagine how much more boring it must have been in the original version: 64 shades instead of "only"32!!

It think that Lopoukhov mentions in his chapter on the shades scene that the collective frontward and backward movement is reminiscent of the waves movement, and add to this a new wave at the horizon for each new measure, it could not be more perfect.

The very first time I saw this ballet, it was on tv. I was probably about 10 and watching it with my mom, and neither of us had seen it or knew anything about it. We didn't find this section boring at all. On the contrary, we found it absolutely hilarious. After about 10 girls came out, it became "Look mom! ANOTHER one! Surely that's the last one!" and then 4 counts later, out popped girl number 11. And then 12, and so on. Each time another girl came out, we laughed even harder. By the time girl number 32 made her appearance, I don't think either of us could even see the tv anymore.

Of course, that was in a much different environment than a theater. The first time I saw this done in a theater, it definitely was not boring. Nor was it funny. I was, as several of you have said before, absolutely mesmerized. It's now one of my favorite scenes in all of ballet. But still, every time I watch it, I have to smile and remember my first experience with the scene, and think "Look mom! Another one!"

I've only seen this twice --once live (ABT), once on video (Royal). The effect was completely different. On video, I did -- as MinkusPugni says -- spend much of my time looking for technical variations and problems. Couldn't help myself. With repeated viewings, I began to "see" what was really there and found it beautiful.

On stage, the effect was mesmerising. I found myself thinking that these women were trapped in a kind of purgatory where their penance was to do this repetitive move -- and their reward was to be able to dance the beautiful corps material that comes immediately after.

Not to pile on MinkusPugni (and thanks for starting the topic and expressing yourself freely), but I agree with bart -- "mesmerizing" is exactly the word. It could go one twice as long as I'd be perfectly happy.

I first saw it as a kid going to see "The Turning Point" -- it's a great start to the movie, as each girl steps in to the camera frame, and then you see them all in full stage view. I thought it was beautiful. I saw it live later with San Francisco Ballet, and it was even more impressive -- moved almost to tears.

Well, to me it is one of the signature moments of classical ballet...of dance in general...of the arts altogether!

I was told about it by the person who "introduced" me to ballet and thought it sounded intriguing; I finally saw it {as BAYADERKA - National Ballet of Canada @ NYS Theatre...late 1970s...Mary Jago (hurrah!) and Frank Augustyn (bravo!)} and it made a profound impression. Now even hearing the music brings tears to my eyes. Hypnotic? I'll say!!

And yes, that opening shot of TURNING POINT is a very beautiful way to draw a movie-going audience into the world of ballet.

If there are wobbles or flaws, I just don't care. It is the structure of the piece, the idea behind it, and the bloody gorgeous music that speaks directly to the heart and soul.

I think an important component to whether one enjoys this or not is how it is performed. If the dancers do it as if they're robots, and just keep repeating, of course it's boring! But watching the Kirov entrance always places me in a state of trance...Each penchee is so short, and I love the music, so only by the end I'm satisfied. That said, I agree with the way everyone else explained it -- mesmerizing, hypnotising...

Personally, I LOVE this part of the ballet. The last time I saw this done by Kirov, there were a number of company members out with the flu and the stage was a bit cramped with the ramp that they had brought on tour with them, so I am kind of remembering that they did this with fewer dancers than normal. I felt cheated!

oberon, I totally agree with you!

[ ". . . watching the Kirov entrance always places me in a state of trance."] I agree with you Mohnurka! When the corps has unanimity of impulse, it's an awesome thing to behold. They're mirror images of each other. My favorite part is when the last corps member completes her penchee, and they all close ranks and step into 5th to begin the centerwork. IMHO an excellent corps makes Act 3 fool proof. Act 3 would be 'boring' if the principals are ill-matched, or especially if the Nikiya is miscast. I think A. Croce said it best: "I know Nikiya is supposed to be dead; but blind?!"

I feel so strongly about this that I will not resist piling on. Whoever is bored by the entrance of the shades is bored by ballet.

I <3 Shades.

I've never seen Bayadere performed live, but watching the Nureyev production for POB on video was a life altering experience. Haha, not really, but like everyone else has said, I also find the entrance hypnotic and mesmerizing. Watching the POB corps girls coming down the ramp one by one with their lovely hyperextended knees and high insteps creating those beautiful lines was enough to convince me this must be one of the most brilliant moments ever created in ballet, regardless of the repetition.

I do always feel sorry for the shades in front who have to do so many of those little arabesques...

I am glad to hear your responses but you obviously didn't read what I wrote. I wouldn't be taking out the penchee entrance (by the way, only originally were they not penchees - now every company (except ones who suck) do penchees) I would merely be adjusting it to make it shorter. I am surprised that all of you are so against the idea. To me, all that is attractive about the entrance of the shades is the beautiful music which I think should be expressed through more than just penchees but through mournful dance.

I don't want to flog a dead horse, so I'll leave the aesthetics out of it, but the Shades scene isn't just a bunch of pretty girls dancing. If you make the entrance shorter, you lose the hypnotic-hallucinatory quality which establishes the fact that this is Solor's pipe dream.

Exactly GWTW. Having the dancers come down two ramps would ruin the simplicity too.

As for what the step actually is, the British would call it first arabesque fondue. In Vaganova technique, when performing this movement it is appropriate to lean the body forward slightly and raise the leg. This is not a penché, and I've never seen it performed as a penché (which would look terrible).

isn't it sort of an allongee?

1) I like that word "impulse," cygnet -- their IS a sort of "pulse" to the movement when well done. And maybe that's what makes it hypnotic in effect. Like slow-motion film of pulsing ina line through a tiny capillary. It becomes something beyond -- and emotionally much larger than -- the individual choices, efforts and even technique of the dancers.

2) I really agree with your "favorite part" -- the entree is a preparation for the lovely corps work that follows, and is too often discussed in isolation. Imagine how strange it would look if the corps merely arabesqued their way across the stage and exited on the other side. An entry without something to enter FOR is incomplete.

I'm now getting shivers down my spine just reading this thread.

And how fantastic that I will see the Kirov's Bayadere on the 30th!

(Sorry if this is showing off. )

I could never get enough of that entrance---so much so, that I made my own tape of four different company's performances---one after the other and I play it when I am looking for some serenity.....

pmeja it is sometimes performed as first arabesque allongé (that is, with the front arm raised higher than usual) but it depends on the company. I don't have any videos with me at the moment, but when I get home I can compare the Royal Ballet, Kirov, and Bolshoi.

It would be interesting to see how the entrance of the shades would look like if Matthew Bourne would renew it.
Would male dancers make it more amusing to watch?

Dr. Coppelius, I definitely think "amusing" would be the word for it!

i have seen many a company perform the SHADES scene in the past 30+ years but i have never seen any execute the sequence to include true penche-move arabesques. i find the 'penche' term applied to the shades' choreography a common misnomer in ballet lore.
similarly, the heroine in COTILLON was long said to climax the ballet w/ a series of fouette turns - t.toumanova was the role's originator. from the reconstruction staging i saw the concluding choreography includes a series grandes piroutte, but no fouette turns.

Please - don't give him any ideas!

Especially since Makhar Vaziev would probably think it was "cool" and decide to acquire it for the Kirov...:rolleyes:

Oh No!

It seems to me that MinkusPugni is very very young (in age)! Not that Im old by any sense of the word (Im 24) - I felt the same way when I was in my early to mid teens - even my late teens. As I got older I began to see the effect of it all. Anyone who changes the Entree de Shades is doing a criminal act the same as taking the balcony scene from Shakeperes Romeo and Juliet! You do not screw with with the Kingdom of the Shades!!

MinkusPugni - You shoudl watch the Bolshoi's production of Bayadere (with Vetrov, Bylova, and Gracheva on the label Kultur). Not that this production is great or anything, but the deep and wide stage of the Bolshoi (along with the very dark stage and blue lighting) allows more turns in the desent of the Shades, and makes the affect of spirits traveling toward the earth more apparent.

But hey, if you have a cool vision, perhaps one day you will stage it! After all, even Petipa himself thought change is a wonderful thing to the old works, and even though people (like me) may gripe, so what?

Thanks for the half support lol. I have seen most Bayadere productions available. Certainly, live has a greater effect on me but the effect is lost after the giant repetition. A short, sharp precession leaving you wanting more is how it should be. Not overindulgence. Another idea, then seeing as you don't like the cut, is to have the same amount of music used and have lines of six (at the end... don't picture the lines yet) and have a shade come from a wing on prompt, then the next one comes from a wing on OP, then a the next downstage wing on prompt, etc. I don't like this idea as much as my other one, though. I think the general audience would appreciate the cut (though this thread is starting to change my mind!)

I actually find the current entrance of the shades very restrained and would think that any sort of attempt to change it would be overindulgence on the part of the stager.

I've just had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with the RB's Bayadere this week & yes the Shades scene is certainly mesmerizing. I love the way all the dancers enter & have their moment alongside the corps as a whole. Some dancers may find it boring to perform, but its also a challenge both personal & professional in that they must be able to execute the steps & not let the rest of their colleagues down with wobbles & mistimings. This scene, even more that Swan Lake in my opinion is a test of the quality of a companies corps & the individual abilities of the dancers contained within. Last thursday for example I can tell you the names of the 2 dancers who had wobbles in the back row compared to their colleagues!!

The whole point of the Shades scene is that its supposed to be ethereal & other-worldly & when done correctly the choreography builds up to a crescendo of beauty. The best performance I have ever seen of it was the Marinsky in their new-old Bayadere at the ROH. The choreography & dancing was superb, but the costumes were especially elegant & flattering & the scenery just hit the mark & I spent the last section of it in tears because it was so beautiful.

One mistake that a lot of companies make when staging it is simply using a plain black bckdrop & a ramp as a setting. This is missing the point of the ballet as its supposed to be set in the mountains of India & have an exotic, romantic atmosphere. It needs mountains, moonlight etc to really reach its pinnacle.

Thanks for reviving this thread, Rebeccadb.

I don't think the scenic backdrop is necessary when the Shades scene is performed as a free-standing piece on a mixed bill, as it often is. A beautiful backdrop would enhance it, but I don't think it's a make-or-break element.

Of course, in the context of the full staging of Bayadere, it's quite a different matter.

Have the Trocks ever done this? They'd have a lot of fun, but would definitely find a way to remind us of the serious beauty in this passage. They love the art form that they spoof.

By the way, I just re-read this thread and want to reiterate: the entree is wonderful, but gets its significance from what happens after, when the last girl arrives at the floor of the stage, the corps rearranges itself, and everyone dances. If they just exited stage right, we would not be so mesmerised by this passage, no matter how beautifully it was done. Context (in this case, what the entree is leading up to) DOES count.

I suspect they feel the Trocs corps isn't big enough to really make it effective....

The Trocks & La Bayadere: the possibilities are endless.....

I've just checked the Trocks website & Bayadere is not in their rep, but I can imagine what they would be able to bring to it & this ballet is just ripe for reinvention!!

Nikiya confronts Gamzatti. I can't begin to imagine . . .

And oooooh that long scarf! Isadora anyone?

(Even if the Trocs have a small corps, seeing the end 'girl' runaround to start the line again at the other side of the stage (lots of panting I'm sure) makes me smile. Yes, Rebeccadb, endless possibilities in every act for all concerned.)

Well, the corps might at least LOOK big enough ..

-- if they made the spaces between the dancers bigger

and

-- if each dancer, after chugging across the stage, disappeared at the other side, galloped behind the scene to the original starting point, and entered a second or third time, panting and puffing, but pretending that they hadn't been on before.

Nikiya and Solor could then dance together on a stage littered with Shades in various stages of exhaustion and collapse. Like this: ...... ............ ...

The only thing missing is the little, red car.

I imagine the Trocks' Shade tutus would resemble something that would be suited to hang on a lamp.

Well said and I couldn't agree more. The video from POB with La Bayadere is also one of the reasons I really have to see this Nureyev production live (my goal is next year in Paris!). I love the entrance; the slow beautiful music and the unison movements of all the dancers; just perfect. It truly reflects the hypnotizing, hallucinating effects of the opium pipe from Solor.