The University Ballet of Chicago kicked off their performance season with Marius Petipa’s “La Bayadere.” Set in Royal India, the ballet follows the story of the warrior Solor and temple dancer Nikiya who swear eternal fidelity to one another during life and death.
Currently in their 10th year of operations, UBallet has performed classics like The Sleeping Beauty and Giselle. La Bayadere is only the latest in a long line of performances, and the first show of UBallet’s 2011-2012 season.
Auditions for the ballet took place mid-October with 42 dancers comprising the final company. Beginners and incredibly advanced pointe dancers alike formed a cast that included temple dancers, fan dancers, and fakirs. The choreography was put together entirely by students involved in UBallet, as well as the staging, lights, and other technical aspects.
Third year undergraduate student Matthew Walsh and graduate student Katie Grogan starred as Solor and Nikiya, with Tiffany Hu rounding off the ballet’s main characters. Supporting roles were taken by other undergraduate and graduate students.
UBallet’s next show will take place on May 4th and 5th. The company will stage Paquita, another ballet by Marius Petipa, and Peter and the Wolf as their selections for the Spring performance.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Chicago chapter.