Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo will be prancing, pirouetting and colliding on the Yuba College stage this winter.
“They are laugh-out-loud funny,” said Jay Drury, Dean of Language and Fine Arts. “A great, serious dance, but also hilarious. I really think people are going to be amused by them.”
The Trocks, as they are known among the in-crowd, will be coming to Yuba College January 19 to share a unique, unforgettable display of dance moves, colors and their own personal brand of humor.
The early performance date may seem odd since spring classes will not begin until January 21, but according to Drury, “We are very limited on the dates. With a big dance company like this you have a lot of lighting, costumes and props to take into consideration.”
During the spring semester, students are using the theater for dress rehearsals and practice. The early date assures that the Trocks will have complete access to the theater and plenty of room for preparations.
A parody, men with hairy arms may not look the part, but these ballet dancers definitely dress and perform beautifully. “They are a really classy, internationally acclaimed group,” said Drury.
Donning clothing with flamboyant colors and feathers, the Trocks cover all the bases in the world of ballet. They parody a large collection of ballet classics from “Swan Lake” to “Les Sylphides” and “Cinderella.” Some may consider the troupe strictly comedic performers, but their moves are beautifully skilled and surprisingly accurate.
All of their pratfalls, collisions, and near misses seem erratic, but they are all part of the intricate web of their performance.
They owe their skilled performance to a woman who was a principal with the Kirov Ballet, under whom they studied. With a bit of Russian influence, each dancer has enough experience and training to earn him a strong place as a staple in a major ballet company.
Founded in 1974 by a group of up-an-coming ballet enthusiasts, the Trocks created a new way to look at traditional and classic ballet. The Trocks have been performing in drag for over 27 years, and have recently included modern dance in their performances as well.
The Trocks have appeared on tour across several continents and in cities throughout 48 of the 50 US states. They have appeared in benefit performances for international AIDS organizations and have even made their fair share of television appearances: The Dick Cavett Show, Real People, On-Stage America, What’s My Line? as well as on the Muppet Babies cartoon.
According to Drury, the performers will bring some light to the stage amidst these dark times. “It’s time to do something much lighter and less earth-shaking,” said Drury.
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