written by balletboy  on 15.03. at 21:24:20

When I was in college and dancing with a small local company, the first big performance we did was Sleeping Beauty!  I was the understudy to the Prince, and if the assigned danseur (Romney) could not perform for some reason, I would be the Prince!  Too bad, but even after I rammed my dancebag into Romney's knee, oh jee!  I forgot about the 5 pound barbell inside! ... (sorry!  Romney was a really fabulous guy and I would never hurt him!)!!

I did Catalbutte and a couple of the incidental dances.  The King in Sleeping Beauty is relatively simple, you just need to perfect a polonaise for your enterance and look regal while your son, the Prince, dances with his Beauty!

It's a lot of fun!

I don't know where you live, but when I was a young guy in a local ballet company I used to "super" for many large, famous companies that either came to town or where withing driving distance.  I used to super with the National Ballet of Canada.

I "super" is the extra on stage who fills out the crowd scenes.  In the National Ballet of Canada's performance of Romeo & Juliet at the New York State Ceneter for the Performing Arts, I was Guard #2, who was at the left-front (downstage) side of the bed that carried the dead Juliet off-stage!

No matter what you job is, an involvement in a ballet performance is great!

I hope you enjoy your part!

balletboy