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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on June 4, 2018

PIOTR Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet Swan Lake will be gracing the stage at Genting International Showroom in August, staged by The Dance Company in collaboration with Ballet West.

The 150-minute production (with an intermission) will be led by soloists Jonathan Barton, Natasha Watson and Uyu Hiromoto, together with ballerinas from the UK and all over Europe.

Last Thursday, top ballet master and trainer for professional and international competition medallists Jonathan and Watson, together with Shannon Lee, the director of The Dance Company, Gillian Barton, the founder of Ballet West UK, and Audrey Kwan, the president of Dance Artistry International, were all at Resorts World Genting (RWG) to launch the famous Swan Lake ballet performance at the SkyAvenue mall together with RWG’s vice-president of promotions and entertainment Kevin Tann.

The grand event held at the SkySymphony stage, SkyAvenue had the first and largest ballet flash mob dancers totalling 80 dancers performing in the most energetic and powerful excerpt of Swan Lake in Malaysia.

Gillian said: “This significant event is a kick-start not only for the ballet industry, but also for the dance industry as a whole, regardless of genre. It creates opportunities for local and international dancers in Malaysia.”

Lee added: “I remember growing up as a child, seeing Malaysia hosting the 98 Commonwealth successfully. Twenty years later, I think it’s time to put Malaysia on the map again. I believe we can do it, this time through arts and culture.”

In his speech, Tann said, this is a unique opportunity that only comes once in a blue moon — Swan Lake, the great ballet performance together with masterclasses, for talented Malaysians to partake.

Featuring some of the most beloved pieces in the classical canon, Swan Lake is the tale of Prince Siegfried who, when celebrating his birthday with a royal party, meets the beautiful Princess Odette by a lake when hunting.

Cursed along with other maidens to become swans by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart, the spell can only be broken by true love.

Ready to proclaim Odette his wife, the prince and his mother arrange a party, but Von Rothbart has magicked his daughter Odile to resemble Odette. Siegfried is deceived and proclaims his love to Odile, cursing Odette to be a swan forever.

Chasing after Odette at the lake, Siegfried faces off with Von Rothbart, but the heartbroken Odette jumps to her death. Siegfried joins her and the purity of their love defeats Von Rothbart as the two lovers are united in the afterlife.

The timeless tale is a permanent fixture in the repertoire of all ballet companies, and is revered as the most popular ballet in the world, rivalled only by Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

Six sensational shows await audiences at Genting International Showroom at RWG, from Aug 24 to 26, 2018 and Aug 31 to Sept 2, 2018. The masterclasses will be held from Aug 22 until Aug 24 and Aug 30, 2018 at the Arena of Stars.

Tickets for Swan Lake will be on sale starting from today. Each show seats 1,000, divided between the following categories: PS1 (RM988), PS2 (RM788), PS3 (RM588) and PS4 (RM388). Genting Rewards Card members will receive a 10% discount for tickets bought by cash, credit card or Genting Points for all tickets. For more information, call (03) 2718 1118 or visit www.rwgenting.com.

 

Special invitation-only dance masterclasses

In between practising for the iconic Dance of the Cygnets and the dramatic Black Swan scene, the Swan Lake team will also be taking time off between shows to conduct international masterclasses from Aug 22 until Aug 24 and Aug 30, 2018 at the Arena of Stars.  

The masterclasses are open to all Malaysian talents. Dancers will be led through classical ballet choreography as well as contemporary and jazz-based moves.

For the masterclass participants, it will be a rare opportunity to perform with international soloists, as well as a chance to be scouted by Ballet West UK. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Dance Artistry International’s Kwan said: “As a Malaysian, I am excited for this opportunity for passionate Malaysian dancers to learn from the stars at an internationally renowned venue. They can experience professional training and can have a career option in dance.”

 

 

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