La Sylphide Analysis

La Sylphide - Ballet Critique The ballet, La Sylphide, was performed at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on March 3rd. The dancers in the ballet were both female and male professionals and were performing a ballet from the romantic era. The dancers were able to vary their movements and transfer between emotions of the dance throughout the performance. The dancer that represented James in the story, Naoya Ebe, had amazing technique, from the parts that should be automatic, such as pointing and stretching, to the large jumps and turns. Though the dancer representing La Sylphide, Elena Lobsanova, is also an amazing dancer, and is able to perform on pointe with ease. The costumes were beautiful and fit the setting of the story.
At the beginning of the ballet, there was a large, stone fireplace on the left which provided an escape route and added to the appearance of a home. On the right was a winding, wood staircase the introduces characters and provides an exit. In the center of the stage, stood a large window with a pointed top and intricate framework. In the ballet, it opened up like a set of doors, and allowed a grand entrance for the sylph. In front of the fireplace, was the arm chair that James fell asleep in and was what started the story. Then, once the setting changed to a forest, the set changed to trees looming over the dancers. The set with the trees was darker and set a more ominous tone for the rest of the
It was dramatic and had many changes in emotion. From playful to upset in a minute due to the building music, the darkening lights, and the anger shown by the dancers. The story itself was filled with drama as there was heartbreak on multiple accounts, jealousy, and death. This is the choreographer's intention. The choreographer wanted to tell the story of the sylph through movement and to intrigue the audience. As an audience member, knowing the story beforehand did not affect the suspense following the story. On the other hand, parts of the story became more obvious than to someone who did not know the story and might not understand the importance of certain movements. It allowed the audience to sympathize and come to understanding of the pain shown in the ballet. The story transported audience members to the story as an onlooker. Overall, the ballet used many parts of dance and atmosphere to change how the ballet appeared to the average audience