Classic ballet with Cuban kick comes to Beijing

Dancers from the Cuban National Ballet coach young Chinese in Xining, capital of northwest China’s Qinghai province on Feb 8. Photo by Shi Tingyi/Asianewsphoto

While maintaining the classical essence of the original version, this Cuban version has been adjusted and improved over decades to cater to the aesthetic orientation of modern audiences, by adding into the performance the passion in Cuban dance as well as unique technical and dramatic elements in choreography.

A sense of beauty is the true mother of ballet and most essential for this performing art, according to Alonso. Discussing the interpretation of the work, she said "there are both the white and black swans in every woman and the prince would fall for the black swan, because it represents another desire."

The Cuban version of Swan Lake opens with the introduction of the wizard turning the princess into a swan, making the plot more logical. Besides, the show also includes a highly complex and difficult dance battle between Prince Siegfried and the wicked Von Rothbart.

What is worth mentioning is that the corps de ballet in the Cuban Swan Lake is also slightly changed in order to emphasize dramatic impact while the eye-pleasing tender aestheticism of this classic is still preserved.