Photo by Zoran Jelenic
The Wortham Center will host two virtual experiences in February, a dance workshop and a makeup seminar, both led by members of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (commonly known as The Trocks). A Dying Swan Virtual Master Class takes place Friday, February 19, at 7 p.m. and a Makeup Virtual Master Class takes place Friday, February 26, at 7 p.m.
“With the inability to gather for performances due to COVID-19, artists are scrambling to create virtual offerings to fill the gap for patrons,” says Wortham Center for the Performing Arts managing director Rae Geoffrey. “Many options now arrive in my inbox daily, but when this one came in I called the agent right away.”
Robert Carter, dancer. Photo by Zoran Jelenic
The Trocks, an all-male comic ballet company known worldwide for their in-drag performances filled with technical skill and humor, were a fan favorite in Asheville even before performing at the Wortham Center in 2018. Prior to that performance, Wortham Center partnered with Fine Arts Theatre to screen a documentary about the dancers titled Rebels on Pointe.
“The film’s deep insight into the dancers’ lives, how the company was formed and the challenges the artists face helped our audience develop a personal connection to the company before they arrived,” says Geoffrey. “Then the performance blew them away.”
In the Dying Swan Workshop, participants will be led through a short warmup and will then be taught the Dying Swan dance with a comic touch. The workshop is appropriate for all skill levels and can be modified for dancers and non-dancers alike, as well as for senior groups.
The Virtual Make-up Seminar illustrates how the Trocks transform from dancer to diva. Participants join a company dancer in their virtual dressing room to see their makeup routine for a typical performance. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions to learn more about what it takes to get ready for a show and about the dancer’s journey to becoming a member of the Trockadero.
“We have been hosting intimate makeup demonstrations backstage on tour for several years,” says Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo general manager Liz Harler. “Given the popularity of online makeup tutorials, it seemed like a natural pivot to do these demonstrations virtually.”
Though they have gone from performing on late-late shows and in Off-Off Broadway productions to receiving international acclaim and touring in more than 600 cities and 40 countries, The Trocks’ original concept has not changed. It is a company of professional male dancers performing the full range of ballet and modern dance repertoire, including classical and original works in faithful renditions of the manners and conceits of those dance styles. The comedy is achieved by incorporating and exaggerating the foibles, accidents and underlying incongruities of serious dance.
“There is no other company like The Trocks,” says Geoffrey. “Their workshops promise a quirky way to weather what we hope is the last winter of quarantine with humor.”
Tickets to each workshop are $28 per household, plus taxes and fees. Learn more and purchase tickets at WorthamArts.org or by calling 828.257.4530.
