'Swan Lake' takes an acrobatic twist
By Chen Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-12-09 06:31

Heated debates

Ever since, the revolutionary production has won acclaim mixed with heated discussions among people from both within the ballet scene and acrobatics field.

The focus is whether it uses acrobatics to interpret "Swan Lake," or uses "Swan Lake" to showcase the acrobatic stunts. With the question in mind, the choreographer/director Zhao and choreographer Liu Jun both returned to Guangzhou where the troupe resides to work on revisions.

"After long-time discussions with Ning, we decide to tell the story through acrobatics," Zhao told China Daily, after he watched the show which closed the 2005 Shanghai International Arts Festival late last month. "Thus, we cut some 20 minutes of scenes that don't concentrate on the plot to make it more coherent."

Zhao said he doesn't believe the show, though based on the original ballet, could be compared to ballet. "Some people are debating about what it is," he said. "I never think about this question when I create something It is an acrobatic show, so you'd better not compare it to the ballet and just enjoy it."

(China Daily 12/09/2005 page13)