I finally understand this now! I was backpacking in Europe with a friend years ago and we got cheap-ish tickets to see this ballet in Prague. We had no clue what was happening and had to look up the plot in an intermission. Our show had the final secret 4th act and we were chanting to ourselves "wrath, wrath, wrath" waiting for the final part. It was such a fun experience.
Girls, your timing is immaculate! I’m currently writing an article on orientalism in La Bayadère, can’t wait to watch this while I go through the first revision!
What absolute perfect timing to release this on the day of the men's free program at Europeans when Deniss will be performing his Bayadere free skate. Already shared this with my FS friends.
I really love the Royal Ballet version of this ballet, including the 4th act. I'd love to see more analysis videos like this one, since they help me to understand the ballets on a deeper level.
Thank you for this breakdown, I learned so much! The ballet analysis series is definitely my favourite (except maybe for the ballet protagonist auditions, they're hilarious)!
The Royal Ballet costumes for this ballet are truly unrivaled. Nikiya's dress in the death scene reminds me of Scarlet O'Hara's red gown, another scene where tensions are running high.
i hate the solor costume tho, its all brown/grey, with very random drapery coming from the shoulder i think some of the fabrics used look flimsy im biased to like the POB costumes more, they use fabric from indian textile shops in paris, which i like. i think grounding the ballet's setting by referring to india helps with relatability i do appreciate the ROH's nikiya costumes tho, moreso the lilac/red ones than the grey one, which she fights gamzatti in.
I’m on my break and I just want to say this channel is keeping me together, ballet is keeping my heart alive and I truly enjoy your full analysis videos. Thank you :)
Okay now I searched for and found a ballet company in my country (and actually rather close to me) that performs la Bayadère and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna buy tickets😊 Thank you two for this great video! I've always wanted to know more about the plot and the details of different ballets, and you introduced to the ballet and told the story so so well! I was really into it
I found your channel about one year ago, slowly getting my inner ballet nerd to grow (I were dancing for like a couple months and started to realize at around this point that this is just my thing, that’s what I felt was like missing my whole life, a couple weeks later I started to attempt the enormous goal of getting a professional dancer after i started relatively late and I think I found my niche here). I watched I think it was your Giselle analyze (definitely a analyze) and since then I watch your Chanel every week it’s my little ritual, with my tea or snack after my training, lying in bed so tired and enjoying that I’m not the only person who’s that nerdy about ballet 😂 one of my favorite channels on the internet. I were missing these, so cool that you’re doing them again. And with my favorite ballet la bayadere yeyyy! I have so many favorites but this one is definitely really really high, I love the music, the scenes, the choreography, the DRaMa! So sad they are cutting out the 4th act, like how cool are these special effects? And it summarizes the whole story better I think. Loved it ❤
Yess you're finally back with this format I totally love it! Finally I know what this ballet is about thanks to you girls! I must say that after hearing your full analysis, I think I prefer the story with the whole 4 acts - I feel like it makes it more complete and intense, and with cutting one it just doesn't bring justice to this story. Thank you for analyzing and explaining everything I can't wait to hear the next story! Now I'm curios about something: do you prefer the whole story line with 4 acts or the 3 acts instead ? Have you ever had the chance to actually perform this piece? If so, what was your roles? Thank you always! Ps: looking forward to your commentary on the Prix De Luisanne!
Ok now that Euros is done, I can watch this in peace, and I absolutely want all the secrets! Omg this is way more dramatic than I knew. You guys are tempting me to write a retelling now.... I have other projects to work onnnnn. I also know that seeing the program at Worlds again (and if he keeps it and I get to see it in person next season) will KILL ME. What an amazing video. Truly a masterpiece. Of a ballet and on your part.
50 minutes what a treat!! i think la bayadère is one of my fav ballets, above swan lake probably (but not by much) was telling myself "i hope they do a ballet analysis on la bayadère" n my wish was granted hihi i got to see the production of la scala in milan, it was so so fun, kimin kim danced as solor a few days after, but i couldnt stay longer bc my trip was initially for uni work 😪😪
oke so i've now fully watched the video, n i conclude that magdaveya is the MVP for helping nikiya n solor!! i also want to write a longer comment on my thoughts on this ballet, since ive discoevred it, ive had many thoughts on its history n how its truly a product of its time, n i love thinking abt all its implications. i think its interesting that the king, instead of chastising n punishing solor for having vowed his love to nikiya, thus putting at risk his daughter's prospective marriage, chooses to punish nikiya. it makes sense from his point of view, killing the well-loved, respected hunter fiancé of ur daughter would ruin the royal family's reputation, while killing the "mere" priestess of the temple isnt a problem to him, as he prioritises his child. its interesting to see that the villainous figure here is actively choosing to disrespect the religious aspect of the world the ballet is set in, i assume that must have resonated, n still does, with religious ppl today, or even ppl who stand strongly by their morals in general. in terms of orientalism, its interesting to note that while the story n setting r indeed a fantasy, the precise inspiration of India allows a point of anchor for the audience to find a sense of familiarity, so opting for more accurately sourced fabrics like the POB (who used indian fabrics from shops of the indian diaspora of paris) definitely helps with that sense of reality. on the other hand other companies lean more into costumes that look vaguely oriental, without pointing distinctively to a specific region. im thinking of most productions out there, with solor sporting a turban, n nikiya wearing drapery or longer skirts, which r seen in many cultures accross asia, beyond the indian subcontinent. that helps the ballet lean into an completely foreign environment, vaguely recalling an "orient" the audience may be unfamiliar in, just like orientalist art did in the 19th did with its own audiences however part of that orientalism also comes with the use of costumes/makeup to make dancers of european descent look like they r another ethnicity. its something the bolshoi ballet has decided to keep doing (as far as i am aware of), for the sake of tradition, according to their arguments (if i remember well, this is broadly what they responded, when misty copeland raised this concern on social media). the POB, as far as i know, has stopped doing it. theres a dance involving children which had them wearing suits where the sleeves n legs were brown fabric, while their faces were painted the same colour, n they wore a wig imitating hair that was curly/braided/had some of locs adjacent hairstyle. a handful of dancers from the POB in 2020 or 2021 i believe, most of them black, had written a manifesto asking to reconsider/stop these practices, as well as changing the name of said dance, which included a slur, the old term to talk abt black ppl. im continuing my ramble in another comment, bc i can n i might as well!! im taking up space obnoxiously just this once
here it is: i think the conversations on how to approach the production of la bayadère r so interesting, especially with the dance world being more open to diversity in stories/castings, n questioning its traditions. i firmly believe that we can keep the fantasy of la bayadère, the drama characteristic to 19th century stories, where the woman suffers the consequences of her lover's betrayal, while still making it relatable to today's audiences. in my case, the realism of seeing india clearly shown by the POB's costumes is a nice reminder that the inspiration of the setting is explicitly indian. if ppl dont know abt indian temple priestesses, or music, or dance, they can at least appreciate that credit is given in the aesthetics of the ballet, know a small glimpse of indian fashion, while also appreciating the fact that the romantic exacerbation of feelings, is a well-loved trait of 19th century stories. on top of that, i feel like removing depictions of blackface/brownface, allows us to focus on the dancer, without being reminded of common 19th century orientalist works which often depicted women from a remote "exotic" land, being waited upon by black servants n slaves. since no part of the plot involves discussion of slavery, i feel like including them "casually", could send a message that seeing these depictions is not a big deal. im not sure how to word it but, young black dancers can feel uneasy while seeing this, i imagine them being in a production of la bayadere, maybe as a more seasoned dancer, n seeing the young kids alongside them, being told to paint their face to imitate their skin!! in that hypothetical case,they get to dance as more important roles, while other dancers, made to resemble them play slaves, its a strange dichotomy to have on scene. obviously, that choice isnt in their control, but i think its important to question why we decide to keep these representations in the ballet. i also think removing these depictions does not mean we erase the story of orientalism, n how european societies enjoyed this type of content. on the contrary, we get to educate ppl on the changes of taste, values across history, with the well documented modifications made to the ballet. changing up the ballet, n making it our own is interesting, to open discussions that a lot of ppl can take part in, bc the arts reflect us too!! im reminded of a recent interview by the POB about mayerling, where the dancer who depicts rudolf calls mary vetsera "crazy", which his partner counters, by saying she was "crazy in love". i agree with making that small nuance known, in the sense that, in real life as well as in the ballet, mary vetsera was a 16 year old, who fell in love with a prince who maybe needed distraction from his trouble, n found it easy to have this young girl by his side. i say that in the sense that mary vetsera was maybe a figure of comfort, in a life where he was deeply troubled. in the ballet, she, infatuated with him was probably never seeing any wrong in him, she didnt witness his mistreatment of his wife n other mistresses. it was easy for him to find comfort in this young naive girl, who was a positive presence, eager to get close to him as encouraged by her mother, who wanted her to ascend socially. the dancer calling vetsera "crazy" seemed reductive to me. it makes it seem like mary vetsera was acting irrationally, which i dont see at all. i see a girl who is positively sure her proximity with the prince will end up doing good to her family, after all, her mother n friend countess larisch encouraged her. i dont think she was malicious in trying to get closer to the prince, seemingly "everything" in her life made it so doing that was favourable to her. i think putting in perspective the humanity in these characters, even more when they r based on real ppl, is important. we get to question ourselves, n have compassion for figures of the past, n in the case of la bayadère, fictional ones too. i wanna finish off with what i said about women being victims of the betrayal of their lover. in paris a few years ago, an exhibition called "romantic heroines" touched upon these characters, from ballet, novels etc. i found it interesting that the exhibition presented so many depictions of tragic, pure, innocent women/girls, who died or suffered immensely due to betrayal from men, most of the time their lover. often times these stories end with the man being sad his lover, who was most of the time an "ideal" woman, quiet, reserved, beautiful, everything that the 19th century expected of this fantasised figure of the young lady, while she died, with little to no chance for further character development. yet in the exhibition, not one thing about how women of the time felt abt these depictions. did they enjoy it? did they not? had anyone proposed a parody, a manifest countering this stereotype of the very passive heroines that the century depicted, whose death resulted in regrets n a redemption for her lover? i feel like it was a shame, that this exhibition could have opened up a dialogue on the 19th century's audiences opinions on the romantic heroin, but it decided to just show us the archetype of the tragic heroine, without really engaging in any discussion over it. stories like giselle n la bayadère often have this sense of forgiveness that is intended to come across to the audience, n theres some ppl who think that revenge should have happened, for example with giselle leaving with the willis. im sure that many ppl during the creation of thse ballets have felt similarly, n i wish we could hear abt their opinions on these stories more. its great that we r reclaiming these tragic heroines too, even noting that in giselle, she isnt just passive, by choosing to forgive albrecht, despite all that he's done. on a more tangential note, there was an interview by the royal ballet, where women who had been dancers at the ballet, as well as sarah lamb were talking abt how ballet, to them was very much lead by women, in many cases, if not most. yet its interesting to see that many directors of the biggest ballets r men, n that (from what ive heard from other dancers) girls have a harder time getting scholarships than boys, who r more scarce in numbers, n thus r more easily taken in, encouraged to continue ballet professionally. on top of this seemingly women-led environment, its interesting to see that most of the classical repertoires involve these tragic stories, with all the elements ive listed before, where women r not necessarily heroines in a modern sense, one that could appeal to a broader public, of women/girls who dont necessarily relate with this archetype. in a way, we r still kind of "catering" to the 19th century audience, maybe thats why ballet seems unapproachable to some. anyways im done, i just needed a place to ramble on, even if ive definitely gone a bit overboard with the engent at the end!! oh well this comment will be here as a sort of archive, if i ever need it, i guess 🤭🤭 to anyone reading this, feel free to add to what i said, what r ur thoughts on this!! id love to know, even if its disagreement (if anyone has read this to the end, who's ure fave tragic heroine n why!! after all, we love the drama of it all dont we)
also about the 4th act, i think its lovely to see the staatsballett berlin, reconstruct the 4 acts, while adding a bit more acting, theres rly lovely details they add, such as one of nikiya playing an instrument with solor watching her, which i particularly enjoy. also, fun fact but the POB nureyev version premiered on my birthday, on october 8th, which i greatly appreciate, as i rly like nureyev, n this ballet, as well as the fact that it was his last gift to the world, coming from my country's dancers.
Omg! I did not think this analysis would be so entertaining!! Thank u for sharing all this !! It was so informative!! I’m so excited to see this ballet one day !! Thank you Jordan and Eden !! ❤❤❤❤
I love your analysis! Just as remark: I'm so glad that you mention the historical inspirations, but I would love to add from my own research: Auber's "Le dieu et la bayadere" (inspired by a poem by Goethe) is actually a different story, it's referencing exactly more your mentioned fact that bayaderes were supposed to be married to gods... "Sacountala" is actually quite closer to La Bayadere, as some names were even simply copied by Marius Petipa. I really like it's magical ballet story and is also my current project to reimagine it as a classic fantasy story without Indian connection... Other rumored source is Giselle, and I also feel also it was inspired by "La Peri", too. Fun fact: All these three ballets were written by Theophile Gautier, and there is also a theory that Petipa was a big fan of him and they two even probably met!
i was thinking since the exoticism and unrealistic portrayals of an actual people's culture is a problem they should just set the ballet in some fantasy world with its own rules where anything can happen
@@oxoelfoxo I think the romantic ballets are rather to be compared with Disney movies, not really historically or culturally accurate; and this would be also La Sylphide (not all real Scot names,...)
@ i just looked up the story of La Sylphide on Wikipedia. that has me puzzled. what was the sylph doing making love to James and breaking up his engagement to Effie with no intention of actually becoming his lover?
@@oxoelfoxo I think the sylph is simply curious and fascinated as much James is fascinated,; it's a different kind of love, as the sylph probably wants him for herself and they can not get together as fairy and human.
I would actually make La Bayadere even more accurate to India’s cultural history by having Nikiya curse Gamzatti to be reborn as a Dalit woman, which lines up with the caste system and many temple dancers were sold to the temples by their poor families. That would then line Gamzatti up to experience the same suffering Nikiya endured. And that in turn incorporates the Hindu concept of karma and samsara, which is the endless cycle of reincarnation based on your virtues and vices.
And I would go as far to make it more accurate by having the temple be devoted to Krishna, the Hindu god of cosmic love, which would fit the narrative even more.
FIIIIN, MY FAVORITE BALLET, I'M GOING TO FAIN *faints*. I congratulate you girls, this video is really too much with all my ❤️. The bayadere has always been my favorite ballet and I have consumed all content related to it, and this video will undoubtedly become one of my favorites on this channel. I LOVE YOU GIRLS IMMENSELY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU:'33
@@balletreign 😆 I really think that apart from the "secret story of the bayadere xD" Petipa's dramas with other dancers like Matilda Kshesinskaya could make an ENTIRE series :)
Nakia all like: “how could the high priest, sworn to serve the gods, be unfaithful to them and try to get me to love him!?!?” Also Nakia: *”married to the gods” swears her love and devotion to Solor*
So glad y'all brought back the ballet analysis because it's one of my favorites that y'all do. Also I've only seen productions that only had the three acts. Which version of the fourth act did you include in the video, I would love to watch it.
I had no idea about act 4 thanks guys for the dedication I love your videos, I recommend ballet reign to everyone at the studio 😅 (the sneaky sneaky part had no business being that funny 🤣)
When the Royal Ballet did this act as a divertissement in NYC, we used to have flowers presented to all the corps girls, but I never saw that last act before!
I enjoy it so much, and thank you very much!! What an expensive productión. They started together and ended together😊❤ I will reach for the ballet to see it. Excelent video young ladies🤗
I love this series so much!!!!!!! Can you guys do a Le Corsair? I just got to perform medora in the jardin anime section of the ballet and it became a new favorite! I would love to understand the full story of it! ❤❤❤
It is a Korean tv drama in ballet format … so I non-stop watch this 50 mins video 😂 but the plot is great .. I will go to the theatre if there is performance in my city ..
I respectfully disagree. I think the destruction of the temple would parallel some of India’s most important historical events, and one of the most important is the Mughal conquest. It would be interesting if Gamzatti was the sole survivor of the temple’s destruction, and soon after, she is forcibly married to an Islamic caliph. That would also explore the themes that would spur her character development, like the lack of bodily autonomy, the abuses she would have endured as a victim of forced marriage, and the babies conceived by rape she would have birthed during that time period.
as a Brahmin Indian ballet dancer myself, i’ve always had a love hate relationship with this ballet, and hate to see soooo many people glaze over the racism. so thank you so much for paying proper tribute to my culture and religion, it means the world!!
In other versions, the palace is destroyed by an earthquake that kills Solor and that's how he goes to the Kingdom of the Shades. I've seen it done that way by the Bolshoi. Complicated stagecraft is required.
As you may know, it is Chinese New Year around the corner. Yesterday, I saw in your post about the snake year. Is La bayadere somehow related to the snake?
I keep seeing stuff from the Tani Momoko Ballet's new version on insta, and now I want to watch it. the costumes strike me as being very well researched. put my temple dancers in septum rings dammit!
Maybe the best would be to re-envision the story as pure fantasy. Keep the story, but change the sets and costumes, and program notes, so it is no longer “India”
@@felicity1877 lol. but i'd say it matters that Solor loved Nikiya first/only and (depending on the interpretation but the kindest one to him) was forced into marrying Gamzatti whereas Albrecht was a cheating liar from the start.
@@oxoelfoxo well, the difference is the society ranking; Solor and Nikiya are not so far different away than a prince and a peasant girl; and probably Petipa fixed this mentioned issue.
@@dennismcdermot647 no, I would actually make the ballet more accurate to India’s cultural tapestry by incorporating Hindu cosmology and cultural mores.
im sorry but all this for A MAN? come on girls😆... in all seriousness thank you j&e for this incredible video i really enjoyed it and am hoping for more full ballet analyses🩷
If you learned a lot from this video and would like to fund the next full ballet analysis, support us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/balletreign 🫰🫰
I finally understand this now! I was backpacking in Europe with a friend years ago and we got cheap-ish tickets to see this ballet in Prague. We had no clue what was happening and had to look up the plot in an intermission. Our show had the final secret 4th act and we were chanting to ourselves "wrath, wrath, wrath" waiting for the final part. It was such a fun experience.
LOLL we’re so happy yall enjoyed your experience at La Bayadere! ✨
I love these ballet analysis so much its not even funny
😆😆 thanks for watching!
That bit about the Entrance of the Shades being inspired by artwork from Dante blew my mind.
Girls, your timing is immaculate! I’m currently writing an article on orientalism in La Bayadère, can’t wait to watch this while I go through the first revision!
where will it be published!! id love to read it (i did not write a whole rambly paragraph in the comments about it, idk what ure talking abt)
OMG the costumes alone make it worth the watch!
They are *exquisite* ✨✨
What absolute perfect timing to release this on the day of the men's free program at Europeans when Deniss will be performing his Bayadere free skate. Already shared this with my FS friends.
if it gets posted online please share a link!
I don’t know if the costumes offend the authorities, but they are beautiful in their colors, layers and details.
I really love the Royal Ballet version of this ballet, including the 4th act. I'd love to see more analysis videos like this one, since they help me to understand the ballets on a deeper level.
Thank you for this breakdown, I learned so much! The ballet analysis series is definitely my favourite (except maybe for the ballet protagonist auditions, they're hilarious)!
Lolll we will def continue both of those series! Thanks for watching and enjoying ✨🫰🏻🫰🏻
The Royal Ballet costumes for this ballet are truly unrivaled. Nikiya's dress in the death scene reminds me of Scarlet O'Hara's red gown, another scene where tensions are running high.
i hate the solor costume tho, its all brown/grey, with very random drapery coming from the shoulder
i think some of the fabrics used look flimsy
im biased to like the POB costumes more, they use fabric from indian textile shops in paris, which i like. i think grounding the ballet's setting by referring to india helps with relatability
i do appreciate the ROH's nikiya costumes tho, moreso the lilac/red ones than the grey one, which she fights gamzatti in.
I NEED THE SECRET LORE
😅😅
I definitely get why act 4 is commonly omitted ( that budget has got to be WILD 😂) but man if it isn't unbelievably epic, I'd love to see it live 👀🔥🐍
It’s SUCH an epic live experience! 🔥
Love this! What a great way to start the new year!
This ballet is pretty underrated I feel. The Royal Ballet's production is absolutely magical.
The RB version is *exquisite* 🤌🏻🤌🏻
I’m on my break and I just want to say this channel is keeping me together, ballet is keeping my heart alive and I truly enjoy your full analysis videos. Thank you :)
Aww we’re so glad you’re here 🫰🏻🫰🏻 thanks for watching our channel, we’re happy u enjoy it ✨
Okay now I searched for and found a ballet company in my country (and actually rather close to me) that performs la Bayadère and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna buy tickets😊 Thank you two for this great video! I've always wanted to know more about the plot and the details of different ballets, and you introduced to the ballet and told the story so so well! I was really into it
YESSS supporting your local ballet 👏🏻👏🏻 we love to hear it! Glad this vid could help 😄😄
i swear ive been waiting for the day a la bayadere analysis came out i love you guys oh my goodness
I found your channel about one year ago, slowly getting my inner ballet nerd to grow (I were dancing for like a couple months and started to realize at around this point that this is just my thing, that’s what I felt was like missing my whole life, a couple weeks later I started to attempt the enormous goal of getting a professional dancer after i started relatively late and I think I found my niche here). I watched I think it was your Giselle analyze (definitely a analyze) and since then I watch your Chanel every week it’s my little ritual, with my tea or snack after my training, lying in bed so tired and enjoying that I’m not the only person who’s that nerdy about ballet 😂 one of my favorite channels on the internet. I were missing these, so cool that you’re doing them again. And with my favorite ballet la bayadere yeyyy! I have so many favorites but this one is definitely really really high, I love the music, the scenes, the choreography, the DRaMa! So sad they are cutting out the 4th act, like how cool are these special effects? And it summarizes the whole story better I think. Loved it ❤
Yess you're finally back with this format I totally love it!
Finally I know what this ballet is about thanks to you girls! I must say that after hearing your full analysis, I think I prefer the story with the whole 4 acts - I feel like it makes it more complete and intense, and with cutting one it just doesn't bring justice to this story.
Thank you for analyzing and explaining everything I can't wait to hear the next story!
Now I'm curios about something: do you prefer the whole story line with 4 acts or the 3 acts instead ? Have you ever had the chance to actually perform this piece? If so, what was your roles?
Thank you always!
Ps: looking forward to your commentary on the Prix De Luisanne!
Ok now that Euros is done, I can watch this in peace, and I absolutely want all the secrets! Omg this is way more dramatic than I knew. You guys are tempting me to write a retelling now.... I have other projects to work onnnnn.
I also know that seeing the program at Worlds again (and if he keeps it and I get to see it in person next season) will KILL ME.
What an amazing video. Truly a masterpiece. Of a ballet and on your part.
Lolll thank you! So happy that you got to learn more about this ballet 🫰🏻🫰🏻
50 minutes what a treat!! i think la bayadère is one of my fav ballets, above swan lake probably (but not by much)
was telling myself "i hope they do a ballet analysis on la bayadère" n my wish was granted hihi
i got to see the production of la scala in milan, it was so so fun, kimin kim danced as solor a few days after, but i couldnt stay longer bc my trip was initially for uni work 😪😪
Ahhh la Scala is incredible!! You’re very lucky to have been able to see them! Thanks for watching, we’re so happy u enjoyed it❤️
oke so i've now fully watched the video, n i conclude that magdaveya is the MVP for helping nikiya n solor!!
i also want to write a longer comment on my thoughts on this ballet, since ive discoevred it, ive had many thoughts on its history n how its truly a product of its time, n i love thinking abt all its implications.
i think its interesting that the king, instead of chastising n punishing solor for having vowed his love to nikiya, thus putting at risk his daughter's prospective marriage, chooses to punish nikiya. it makes sense from his point of view, killing the well-loved, respected hunter fiancé of ur daughter would ruin the royal family's reputation, while killing the "mere" priestess of the temple isnt a problem to him, as he prioritises his child.
its interesting to see that the villainous figure here is actively choosing to disrespect the religious aspect of the world the ballet is set in, i assume that must have resonated, n still does, with religious ppl today, or even ppl who stand strongly by their morals in general.
in terms of orientalism, its interesting to note that while the story n setting r indeed a fantasy, the precise inspiration of India allows a point of anchor for the audience to find a sense of familiarity, so opting for more accurately sourced fabrics like the POB (who used indian fabrics from shops of the indian diaspora of paris) definitely helps with that sense of reality.
on the other hand other companies lean more into costumes that look vaguely oriental, without pointing distinctively to a specific region. im thinking of most productions out there, with solor sporting a turban, n nikiya wearing drapery or longer skirts, which r seen in many cultures accross asia, beyond the indian subcontinent.
that helps the ballet lean into an completely foreign environment, vaguely recalling an "orient" the audience may be unfamiliar in, just like orientalist art did in the 19th did with its own audiences
however part of that orientalism also comes with the use of costumes/makeup to make dancers of european descent look like they r another ethnicity. its something the bolshoi ballet has decided to keep doing (as far as i am aware of), for the sake of tradition, according to their arguments (if i remember well, this is broadly what they responded, when misty copeland raised this concern on social media).
the POB, as far as i know, has stopped doing it. theres a dance involving children which had them wearing suits where the sleeves n legs were brown fabric, while their faces were painted the same colour, n they wore a wig imitating hair that was curly/braided/had some of locs adjacent hairstyle.
a handful of dancers from the POB in 2020 or 2021 i believe, most of them black, had written a manifesto asking to reconsider/stop these practices, as well as changing the name of said dance, which included a slur, the old term to talk abt black ppl.
im continuing my ramble in another comment, bc i can n i might as well!! im taking up space obnoxiously just this once
here it is:
i think the conversations on how to approach the production of la bayadère r so interesting, especially with the dance world being more open to diversity in stories/castings, n questioning its traditions.
i firmly believe that we can keep the fantasy of la bayadère, the drama characteristic to 19th century stories, where the woman suffers the consequences of her lover's betrayal, while still making it relatable to today's audiences.
in my case, the realism of seeing india clearly shown by the POB's costumes is a nice reminder that the inspiration of the setting is explicitly indian. if ppl dont know abt indian temple priestesses, or music, or dance, they can at least appreciate that credit is given in the aesthetics of the ballet, know a small glimpse of indian fashion, while also appreciating the fact that the romantic exacerbation of feelings, is a well-loved trait of 19th century stories.
on top of that, i feel like removing depictions of blackface/brownface, allows us to focus on the dancer, without being reminded of common 19th century orientalist works which often depicted women from a remote "exotic" land, being waited upon by black servants n slaves. since no part of the plot involves discussion of slavery, i feel like including them "casually", could send a message that seeing these depictions is not a big deal.
im not sure how to word it but, young black dancers can feel uneasy while seeing this, i imagine them being in a production of la bayadere, maybe as a more seasoned dancer, n seeing the young kids alongside them, being told to paint their face to imitate their skin!!
in that hypothetical case,they get to dance as more important roles, while other dancers, made to resemble them play slaves, its a strange dichotomy to have on scene.
obviously, that choice isnt in their control, but i think its important to question why we decide to keep these representations in the ballet.
i also think removing these depictions does not mean we erase the story of orientalism, n how european societies enjoyed this type of content. on the contrary, we get to educate ppl on the changes of taste, values across history, with the well documented modifications made to the ballet.
changing up the ballet, n making it our own is interesting, to open discussions that a lot of ppl can take part in, bc the arts reflect us too!!
im reminded of a recent interview by the POB about mayerling, where the dancer who depicts rudolf calls mary vetsera "crazy", which his partner counters, by saying she was "crazy in love". i agree with making that small nuance known, in the sense that, in real life as well as in the ballet, mary vetsera was a 16 year old, who fell in love with a prince who maybe needed distraction from his trouble, n found it easy to have this young girl by his side. i say that in the sense that mary vetsera was maybe a figure of comfort, in a life where he was deeply troubled.
in the ballet, she, infatuated with him was probably never seeing any wrong in him, she didnt witness his mistreatment of his wife n other mistresses. it was easy for him to find comfort in this young naive girl, who was a positive presence, eager to get close to him as encouraged by her mother, who wanted her to ascend socially.
the dancer calling vetsera "crazy" seemed reductive to me. it makes it seem like mary vetsera was acting irrationally, which i dont see at all. i see a girl who is positively sure her proximity with the prince will end up doing good to her family, after all, her mother n friend countess larisch encouraged her. i dont think she was malicious in trying to get closer to the prince, seemingly "everything" in her life made it so doing that was favourable to her.
i think putting in perspective the humanity in these characters, even more when they r based on real ppl, is important. we get to question ourselves, n have compassion for figures of the past, n in the case of la bayadère, fictional ones too.
i wanna finish off with what i said about women being victims of the betrayal of their lover.
in paris a few years ago, an exhibition called "romantic heroines" touched upon these characters, from ballet, novels etc. i found it interesting that the exhibition presented so many depictions of tragic, pure, innocent women/girls, who died or suffered immensely due to betrayal from men, most of the time their lover. often times these stories end with the man being sad his lover, who was most of the time an "ideal" woman, quiet, reserved, beautiful, everything that the 19th century expected of this fantasised figure of the young lady, while she died, with little to no chance for further character development. yet in the exhibition, not one thing about how women of the time felt abt these depictions. did they enjoy it? did they not? had anyone proposed a parody, a manifest countering this stereotype of the very passive heroines that the century depicted, whose death resulted in regrets n a redemption for her lover?
i feel like it was a shame, that this exhibition could have opened up a dialogue on the 19th century's audiences opinions on the romantic heroin, but it decided to just show us the archetype of the tragic heroine, without really engaging in any discussion over it.
stories like giselle n la bayadère often have this sense of forgiveness that is intended to come across to the audience, n theres some ppl who think that revenge should have happened, for example with giselle leaving with the willis. im sure that many ppl during the creation of thse ballets have felt similarly, n i wish we could hear abt their opinions on these stories more.
its great that we r reclaiming these tragic heroines too, even noting that in giselle, she isnt just passive, by choosing to forgive albrecht, despite all that he's done.
on a more tangential note,
there was an interview by the royal ballet, where women who had been dancers at the ballet, as well as sarah lamb were talking abt how ballet, to them was very much lead by women, in many cases, if not most. yet its interesting to see that many directors of the biggest ballets r men, n that (from what ive heard from other dancers) girls have a harder time getting scholarships than boys, who r more scarce in numbers, n thus r more easily taken in, encouraged to continue ballet professionally. on top of this seemingly women-led environment, its interesting to see that most of the classical repertoires involve these tragic stories, with all the elements ive listed before, where women r not necessarily heroines in a modern sense, one that could appeal to a broader public, of women/girls who dont necessarily relate with this archetype. in a way, we r still kind of "catering" to the 19th century audience, maybe thats why ballet seems unapproachable to some.
anyways im done, i just needed a place to ramble on, even if ive definitely gone a bit overboard with the engent at the end!! oh well
this comment will be here as a sort of archive, if i ever need it, i guess 🤭🤭
to anyone reading this, feel free to add to what i said, what r ur thoughts on this!! id love to know, even if its disagreement
(if anyone has read this to the end, who's ure fave tragic heroine n why!! after all, we love the drama of it all dont we)
also about the 4th act, i think its lovely to see the staatsballett berlin, reconstruct the 4 acts, while adding a bit more acting, theres rly lovely details they add, such as one of nikiya playing an instrument with solor watching her, which i particularly enjoy.
also, fun fact but the POB nureyev version premiered on my birthday, on october 8th, which i greatly appreciate, as i rly like nureyev, n this ballet, as well as the fact that it was his last gift to the world, coming from my country's dancers.
Absolutely my favorite ballet ❤ such a wonderful story. It's just perfection.
Omg! I did not think this analysis would be so entertaining!! Thank u for sharing all this !! It was so informative!! I’m so excited to see this ballet one day !! Thank you Jordan and Eden !! ❤❤❤❤
Who's your editor???? Great work!!
I love your analysis! Just as remark: I'm so glad that you mention the historical inspirations, but I would love to add from my own research: Auber's "Le dieu et la bayadere" (inspired by a poem by Goethe) is actually a different story, it's referencing exactly more your mentioned fact that bayaderes were supposed to be married to gods...
"Sacountala" is actually quite closer to La Bayadere, as some names were even simply copied by Marius Petipa. I really like it's magical ballet story and is also my current project to reimagine it as a classic fantasy story without Indian connection...
Other rumored source is Giselle, and I also feel also it was inspired by "La Peri", too. Fun fact: All these three ballets were written by Theophile Gautier, and there is also a theory that Petipa was a big fan of him and they two even probably met!
i was thinking since the exoticism and unrealistic portrayals of an actual people's culture is a problem they should just set the ballet in some fantasy world with its own rules where anything can happen
@@oxoelfoxo I think the romantic ballets are rather to be compared with Disney movies, not really historically or culturally accurate; and this would be also La Sylphide (not all real Scot names,...)
@ i just looked up the story of La Sylphide on Wikipedia. that has me puzzled. what was the sylph doing making love to James and breaking up his engagement to Effie with no intention of actually becoming his lover?
@@oxoelfoxo I think the sylph is simply curious and fascinated as much James is fascinated,; it's a different kind of love, as the sylph probably wants him for herself and they can not get together as fairy and human.
I would actually make La Bayadere even more accurate to India’s cultural history by having Nikiya curse Gamzatti to be reborn as a Dalit woman, which lines up with the caste system and many temple dancers were sold to the temples by their poor families.
That would then line Gamzatti up to experience the same suffering Nikiya endured. And that in turn incorporates the Hindu concept of karma and samsara, which is the endless cycle of reincarnation based on your virtues and vices.
Yes! My favorite classical ballet!
Agreed, thanks for watching and for your thoughts! Petition to bring back the 4th act 🙏🏻🙏🏻
And I would go as far to make it more accurate by having the temple be devoted to Krishna, the Hindu god of cosmic love, which would fit the narrative even more.
FIIIIN, MY FAVORITE BALLET, I'M GOING TO FAIN *faints*. I congratulate you girls, this video is really too much with all my ❤️. The bayadere has always been my favorite ballet and I have consumed all content related to it, and this video will undoubtedly become one of my favorites on this channel. I LOVE YOU GIRLS IMMENSELY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU:'33
Ahhh so happy you loved it! It’s ur lucky day 😆😆
@@balletreign 😆 I really think that apart from the "secret story of the bayadere xD" Petipa's dramas with other dancers like Matilda Kshesinskaya could make an ENTIRE series :)
If I went to see La Bayadère, and there was no Act 4, I’d feel so cheated.
Yesss!!! I'll finally have *context* for the variations and the characters you guys so often mention.
PERFECT TIMING BECAUSE I AM GOING TO WATCH La Bayadère AT DUBAI OPERA ON FEB 15 🤩🤩🤩🤩
We hope you enjoy it to the fullest!! That’s incredible 🥳🥳
come back and give us a review!
YAY! I love the ballet analysis videos they are so great!! Thank you so much this is the best ballet UA-cam channel to become a ballet expert!
I loveeeee your ballet analysis videos 😍 please do more of these
Nakia all like: “how could the high priest, sworn to serve the gods, be unfaithful to them and try to get me to love him!?!?”
Also Nakia: *”married to the gods” swears her love and devotion to Solor*
😅😅
OMG one of my favorite ballets! Nikiya's death scene always waters my eyes. Also, yes to secret lore, please!!
Great analysis, keep it coming, love you both
Thank you for watching! We’re glad u enjoyed it 🫰🏻🫰🏻
So glad y'all brought back the ballet analysis because it's one of my favorites that y'all do. Also I've only seen productions that only had the three acts. Which version of the fourth act did you include in the video, I would love to watch it.
Also #SneakySneaky is now my new go to word
YESSSS THANK YOU IVE BEEN WAITING FOR ANOTHER ANALYSIS ❤❤❤
love the subtitles for the acting :D
I had no idea about act 4 thanks guys for the dedication I love your videos, I recommend ballet reign to everyone at the studio 😅 (the sneaky sneaky part had no business being that funny 🤣)
Love this! I thought I knew the story well, but it was fun to learn so many new things!
So happy it helped you! Such an incredible ballet 🫰🏻🫰🏻
I really hope you do la fill mal gardee next!!
LOVE LFMG ❤️
Aaaaa love this series! Can’t wait to learn!
I love your full ballet analyses. I would love to see ones on The Firebird and Le Corsaire!
❤❤❤❤ Thank you! Now I love this ballet more than before.
I love this ballet! It was the first in which I saw the amazing Svetlana Zakharova (my idol)
Ty for explaining this story ❤
When the Royal Ballet did this act as a divertissement in NYC, we used to have flowers presented to all the corps girls, but I never saw that last act before!
I enjoy it so much, and thank you very much!! What an expensive productión. They started together and ended together😊❤ I will reach for the ballet to see it. Excelent video young ladies🤗
It’s a good day for this ballet nerd. Start the day with a BR full analysis, and end it with PNB’s new production of Sleeping Beauty!
Wowww ultimate ballet nerd day 🙌🏻
I almost got tickets for that!! So bummed I can’t 🫠
Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous. I'm obsessed the PNBs Sleeping Beauty. The costumes, THE COSTUMES😩
These are always my favorite videos!
great video, so mush great infor in so nice delivery
Thank you so much! We are glad you enjoyed it ✨
Yes!! Secret La bayadare lore pls!!!
yeees!
I would be disappointed not to see the 4th act. Video Projections would make the background possible.
Amazing ballet analysis, chef kiss 😚🤌
Awww I loved this so much! Way to make me love this ballet even more than I already did ❤️
if the man in the portrait looked similar to me i'd be in whoops, hahaha. or very proud if my brother was dancing the role of Solor
Oh LOVE, LOVE this
❤️❤️
Great show! All those scenes with Vladimir Shklyarov made me sad tho
He blessed the world with his dancing. May he continue to fly high forever ❤️
I love this series so much!!!!!!! Can you guys do a Le Corsair? I just got to perform medora in the jardin anime section of the ballet and it became a new favorite! I would love to understand the full story of it! ❤❤❤
It is a Korean tv drama in ballet format … so I non-stop watch this 50 mins video 😂 but the plot is great .. I will go to the theatre if there is performance in my city ..
Great video as always
I respectfully disagree. I think the destruction of the temple would parallel some of India’s most important historical events, and one of the most important is the Mughal conquest.
It would be interesting if Gamzatti was the sole survivor of the temple’s destruction, and soon after, she is forcibly married to an Islamic caliph. That would also explore the themes that would spur her character development, like the lack of bodily autonomy, the abuses she would have endured as a victim of forced marriage, and the babies conceived by rape she would have birthed during that time period.
I love ballet analysis so much! Could you do one of the nutcracker too?
Ooh this is gonna be interesting!
Can You please do one of the Nutcracker on Christmas.
I love Ballet Reign so much
Yeeeeessss
Yay! I have not yet see La Bayadere,
seen
It’s a must see for sure!! 😆😆
Secret La Bayadère lore please! 🐍❤
Nice job ladies! I feel ballet literate:-)
I need to see this ballet
Have you guys watched the different variations in La bayadere (gamzatti, shades variation etc)
By the way ballet reign I love different variations from ballet
as a Brahmin Indian ballet dancer myself, i’ve always had a love hate relationship with this ballet, and hate to see soooo many people glaze over the racism. so thank you so much for paying proper tribute to my culture and religion, it means the world!!
YAY THEY’RE BACK!!! Thank you so much 🥹🙂↕️
Lolll they are SO backk 😆😆 thanks for coming to watch today! ✨
@@balletreign🤗
I wonder how much drama would be cleared if they could just communicate properly.
i wanted to watch this live but i was competeing at yagp lol
how'd you do? :-)
In other versions, the palace is destroyed by an earthquake that kills Solor and that's how he goes to the Kingdom of the Shades. I've seen it done that way by the Bolshoi. Complicated stagecraft is required.
They moved the earthquake to the end of act two.
Very excited🎉
I never knew there was an act IV. 😮
💕thank you!
Beautiful ballet….
Please do La Esmeralda next❤
I want the secret La Bayadère lore!!!
As you may know, it is Chinese New Year around the corner. Yesterday, I saw in your post about the snake year. Is La bayadere somehow related to the snake?
🐍
Bravo!
Give us the lore!
Hi..i just want to ask if makarova's version has 3 or 4 acts?
32:17 That poor snake must be getting dizzy
In honor of the Year of the Snake?
They make me think of twoset violins but for ballet and I love that ❤🥰😍 my two favorite channels I hope they do a collaboration together 🥹😌🙏
little hope for future collabs but they participated in a long skit in one of the newer TSV vids where Brett plays a sad boi violinist being bullied
I keep seeing stuff from the Tani Momoko Ballet's new version on insta, and now I want to watch it. the costumes strike me as being very well researched. put my temple dancers in septum rings dammit!
Хорошо, что в России свою классику изменять не будут, и будет всегда идти настоящая любимая Баядерка.
La Bayadẽre is the Dynasty of Ballet 😂
Maybe the best would be to re-envision the story as pure fantasy. Keep the story, but change the sets and costumes, and program notes, so it is no longer “India”
Oh, doing this, then it will be Giselle (;
Fantasy is inevitably copying *something*
@@felicity1877 lol. but i'd say it matters that Solor loved Nikiya first/only and (depending on the interpretation but the kindest one to him) was forced into marrying Gamzatti whereas Albrecht was a cheating liar from the start.
@@oxoelfoxo well, the difference is the society ranking; Solor and Nikiya are not so far different away than a prince and a peasant girl; and probably Petipa fixed this mentioned issue.
@@dennismcdermot647 no, I would actually make the ballet more accurate to India’s cultural tapestry by incorporating Hindu cosmology and cultural mores.
woohoo
I think act 4 should always be kept
FACTS 👏🏻👏🏻
My eyes hurt when you switch back to your table and mic.. could you please dim the light a bit?
secret lore! secret lore! secret lore!
im sorry but all this for A MAN? come on girls😆... in all seriousness thank you j&e for this incredible video i really enjoyed it and am hoping for more full ballet analyses🩷
I was litterally eating nuggets as you offer nuggets 🫶
why do nuggets have to taste so good and be so bad for your arteries
@@oxoelfoxo they r only bad if u eat them a lot!! i think the problem is in the quantity, not necessarily the nuggets themselves
@melowlw8638 yeah, an occasional treat and not a weekly meal