Ballet Excerpts - Spring Show
Variations are an important learning tool for young dancers. And certain variations - like opera arias - have long outlived the full-length productions they originally belonged to. Favorite Westside Ballet excerpts include choreography by the great Marius Petipa (Paquita, Raymonda, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote) and selections from the Danish master August Bournonville (Napoli). The photo below is from La Vivandiere (choreography after Arthur Saint-Leon).
From Coppelia
Music: Leo Delibes
Choreography: After Arthur Saint-Leon
Friends 2000, 1994
Mazurka 1994
Prayer 2005
Waltz of the Hours 1999, 1994
From Don Quixote
Music: Leon Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Pas de Deux 2006 (Sarah Poss) and 1996
The Dream 2001, staged by Sophie Monat
From Giselle
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choreography: After Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
Peasant Dance 2003, 2000, 1996
Wilis 2003
From Harlequinade
Commedia dell'arte characters and frothy music make Harlequinade a delight. It's said that Balanchine's childhood memories of dancing in the Petipa version inspired him to choreograph to the same music.
Music: Riccardo Drigo (Harlequin's Millions)
Choreography: George Balanchine
Year Performed: 2004
Jardin Anime
Often included as an interpolation in Le Corsaire, Le Jardin Anime could be classified as a short ballet rather than an excerpt.
Music: Leo Delibes
Choreography: After Marius Petipa
Year Performed: 2003, 2001, 1998, 1995
From Napoli
Music: Neils Gade, Edvard Helsted, Holger Paulli, Hans Christian Lumbye
Choreography: August Bournonville
Act 3 Variations 2001
Tarantella 2004 (re-staged by Sophie Monat)
Paquita Variations
The variations - originally an interpolation in a longer ballet - have outlasted the ballet itself. (Minkus wrote only the music for the variations; Deldevez scored the full-length ballet.)
Music: Leon Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Year Performed: 2008, 2005, 2000, 1998, 1995
Raymonda Variations
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Year Performed: 1999, 1996
From Sleeping Beauty
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: Rosemary Valaire after Marius Petipa
Garland Dance 2005, 2001, 1998
Nymphs 2006, 2001, arranged by Yvonne Mounsey
From Stars & Stripes
Music: John Philip Sousa, arranged by Hershy Kay
Choreography: George Balanchine
Year Performed: 2004, Gala 2002
From Swan Lake
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: Lev Ivanov, Marius Petipa
Peasant Dance 1995
White Swans 1995
Black Swan Pas de Deux 1995 (Melissa Barak)
From Les Sylphides
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine, staged by Julie Whittaker
Year Performed: 2005
From La Vivandiere
Music: Cesar Pugni
Choreography: After Arthur Saint-Leon
Year Performed: 2000, 1996
Photo above shows Emily Hite dancing one of the variations
From Who Cares?
Music: George Gershwin, arranged by Hershy Kay
Choreography: George Balanchine
Year Performed: 2005, 2003, 1999, 1996