A night at the ballet

I took in tonight's performance downtown of Les Canards et les Rois. Very enjoyable. The story was classic in its simplicity and the company talented and multi-national: Russians, of course, with Swedes, Czechs, Canadians, Americans, a Finn, a Latvian and even a principal dancer from Belarus. They jumped and spun with fluid grace and athleticism, drawing oohs with fearless pirouettes, fouetté and tours chaînés déboulés. The music was a tad loud and the staging on the chilly side, and at times the choreography lacked coherence—almost as if half the company were pursuing a different goal. The crowd was into it though, exhorting in French and shouting the names of the most daring performers. The house lights came on to a rousing standing ovation, and it's safe to say that most of us left satisfied that we had seen a triumph. Smiles were everywhere as the crowd filed out accompanied by the first movement of R. Newman's twentieth-century anthem, "J'aime L.A."

Reviews from the leading trade pubs, and a couple of photos of the artistes at work: