Grace, comedy and black humor

Victor from the Philippines works on his makeup.[Photo by Li Sanxian/China Daily]

An all-male ballet troupe recently performed in Beijing.

The show, Men in Tutus, was staged at the Beijing Exhibition Theater. In the dressing room, the boys put on their fake eyelashes, their dance skirts and toe shoes with skill and grace. And, as they appear on stage as four little swans, the audience erupts with laughter. The dance company, Les Ballets Eloelle, founded in 1996 has 15 ballets in its repertoire where the male dancers play both male and female roles. The show, brimming with classical and popular elements, is also filled with black humor. Les Ballets Eloelle has taken its shows to several countries including Australia, China, France, Italy, South Korea and Japan.