Three Preludes and a White Swan ....

After Thursday night, I can say with absolute confidence that I can die happy without seeing the Pas de Deux of the White Swan from Swan Lake ever again. 

You might think this is a bit extreme but, trust me, if you had seen Lucía Lacarra and her partner Marlon Dino (and husband. Yes, I know, I hate her too...) perform it last night as part of the repertoire of the Bayerisches Staatsballet II, you would understand. 

The auditorium came to a complete standstill and from the moment she came one stage as this otherwordly creature, every single member of the audience held their breath. Her fluidity, extentions, her arms and above all, her artistic sensibility cast a spell which lasted 10 whole minutes. It is pointless to try and explain or convey the emotion I felt, even with a video, because it is something extremely magical to see it live. 

The other piece the two dancers performed was Three Preludes, with music by Sergei Rachmaninov and choreography by Ben Stevenson. This subtle and romantic pas de deux centers on two dancers who fall in love while training in a dance studio. The tree movements unravel at great velocity and intensity, paralel to the growing passion between the dancers. 

I have to say the first movement also took my breath away. Its simplicity, the clean lines of the choreography and the use of the barre make it an unbelievably beautiful piece. Also, I am sure it wouldn't have been the same if it had been any other pair of dancers. Dino and Lacarra share a chemistry and absolute symbiosis on stage that makes anything they do mesmerizing. 

XOXO