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Backstage

Kitri’s variation: between folklore and seduction

Dissection of a step: Episode #5

By Octave

Making a break with the supernatural aspects of Romanticism, Don Quichotte recounts with humour the thwarted loves between the barber Basilo and Kitri, the innkeeper’s young daughter. In 1981, inspired by the spirit of the Commedia dell’arte, Rudolf Nureyev passed on a cheerfully amusing and energetic work to the Paris Opera Ballet. He further strengthened the ballet’s comic action and accentuated the swirling, giddying rhythm of the choreography. From the moment she enters on stage, the beautiful Kitri sets the tone. Spanish folklore and brilliant bows combine to create dazzling dance. In the rehearsal studio, Étoile dancer Dorothée Gilbert and coach Monique Loudières re-explore the fiery colours of the ballet.