Everyone has those few things that they hope to convert people to. Maybe it’s your favourite TV show or your favourite author. For me, that thing is ballet. As a dancer myself, and now someone who does research in ballet history, I always want people to love ballet. However, when I talk to people about it, a lot of people started with one of the marquis ballets, like Swan Lake, and found it overwhelming and/or bewildering. So, in order to make your ballet experience the best it can be, I will share my wisdom. These are the best ballets for new audience members!
The Elephant in the Theatre…
I already name-dropped it above, but I would not recommend Swan Lake as your first ballet if you have never attended before. It is a long ballet, usually nearing three hours with intermissions, so you are marathoning it. And while it does have some iconic ballet scenes- namely the Pas de Quatres and the 32 fouetté turns- it also is quite a winding ballet that is not always the easiest to follow. And if I am being brutally honest, it is a fairly dark and depressing ballet.
The Best Ballets for New Audience Members
I have stuck to classical ballets on this list. There are many contemporary ballets that are easy to follow and very entertaining, but I wanted to stick to more common ballets that will most likely be staged. Most companies will do at least one major classical production each year, if not more. You should be able to hopefully catch one of these, and you should be able to take anyone of any age (as long as they have the attention span for the length).
As always, I would recommend that you read the ballet synposis and running time in the program before the show starts!
The Nutcracker
I would be remiss if I did not include The Nutcracker– many of us see The Nutcracker as our first ballet. This ballet is fairly short, and it has a very defined and obvious storyline to follow. It is also quite an upbeat ballet, meaning there is not a lot of adagio (slower movements). If you have a child that you want to introduce to ballet, this would be the ballet to choose.
More on the history of The Nutcracker and what to look for here: https://anhistorianabouttown.com/behind-the-ballet-the-nutcracker/.
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty is somewhat of an out-there choice because most productions (with intermissions) will have a run-time of roughly 3 hours. If you have a really young audience member, you might be pushing it attention-span-wise. However, if that’s not an issue, Sleeping Beauty is a wonderful first ballet.
We follow Princess Aurora as she is born, celebrates her 16 birthday, falls under a curse, and then is woken up by her prince. Although it does have a specific storyline, it is quite easy to follow along- the pantomime and dance tells the story in an easy-to-understand way. And the third act is one of the most entertaining and light-hearted acts in ballet- we spend the entire act with fairytale characters performing after the wedding.
More on the history of Sleeping Beauty and what to watch for here: https://anhistorianabouttown.com/behind-the-ballet-sleeping-beauty/.
Don Quixote
Don Quixote is another somewhat detailed storyline but ultimately is easy to follow and highly entertaining. A lot of comedic ballets tend to have points that you need to understand, ie. this character is a doll, but Don Quixote moves along quickly and if you miss something here or there, you can easily enjoy it still.
Based on Cervantes’ novel, it follows Don Quixote as he dreams his way through adventures, as well as Kitri and Basilio’s relationship. There are a few spectacular solos to enjoy in particular, such as Kitri’s solo with the tambourine and her solo with the fan (see clip above). This is an exciting ballet, and it remains an audience favourite for a reason.
More on Don Quixote and what to watch for here: https://anhistorianabouttown.com/behind-the-ballet-don-quixote/.
Cinderella
There is not one definitive production of Cinderella that gets referenced over and over like the other ballets on this list, but I wanted to included it anyways. There are countless different ballets of Cinderella, and they are often some of the most creative and innovative productions. We all know the basic story of Cinderella and her family, so that allows for flexibility in staging. I may be biased, but the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s A Cinderella Story is my favourite- it is set in the 1950s and uses a jazz score. (See the clip above)
Which productions do you think are the best ballets for new audience members?
Cheers,
The Historian
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