On a brief UK tour before heading back to the US, iconic dance company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo prance their way into Buxton Opera House this weekend (October 7-8) and Bradford Alhambra (October 14-15), as well as Hull and Newcastle.
Affectionately known as The Trocks, their latest show was greeted by five-star reviews and standing ovations when it opened in London earlier this month.
The trailblazing company started life in 1974 as a downtown New York drag act in the wake of the Stonewall Riots. Since then it has shared its signature style and message of equality and inclusion with audiences worldwide. As company dancer Kevin Garcia says: "Every time the curtain opens, we represent progress for equality. We just do it dancing."
Their shows mix tutus and testosterone, blush-pink ballet shoes, false eyelashes and prima ballerina attitude. The 16 dancers – from China, Cuba, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and America – each have humorous alter-egos, from Olga Supphozova to Jacques D'Aniels.
The programme opens with The Trocks’ signature work Le Lac des Cygnes (Swan Lake Act II) danced to Tchaikovsky’s iconic music. Their finale comes from the last act of Raymonda, the plot of which has baffled audiences since the 1898 premiere, but typically The Trocks ignore all the intrigues and go straight for the happy ending.
More info and full dates here