Ballet Master Raffaele Morra and class participants embody the Trockadero style.
Some examples of workshops the company offers:
Master Class / Repertory Workshop
Taught by the Ballet Master or a Senior Company Member, participants will be given a short barre and some center work before learning excerpts of classical repertoire: first as traditionally performed by the world’s great ballet companies, followed by the Trocks’ satirical version.
Dying Swan Workshop
Participants (dancers and non-dancers of all ages) are given a short warmup and will then be taught the Dying Swan with a comic touch, from which they build their own interpretation of the terminal fowl.
Makeup Seminar
An opportunity to see how the Trocks transform from dancer to diva. Join a company member in their dressing room to watch a makeup demonstration and chat about makeup, ballet, and life as a Trock.
Panel or Round table discussion
Members of the artistic leadership team and company members discuss the company’s history following its inception in the wake of the Stonewall riots, using archival videos to illustrate the Trocks’ approach to ballet, gender and drag performance.
Extended Workshop Series
Participants have the opportunity to put their name in lights alongside the likes of legendary Trockadero personas like Dame Margot Loweyn-Octeyn, Ida Nevasayneva and Yuri Smirnov. Through a series of 5-6 workshops (tailored to fit the needs of residency partners), attendees will discover their inner Trockadero persona, including development of their very own personalized Trockadero name and biography. Each workshop uses a different Trockadero work as a jumping off point to explore elements of ballet as a basis for choreography and creative work by participants. If desired, these workshops will culminate in an informal showing of the work created during the workshop sessions. Series can be tailored to different communities, including youth and seniors.
Robert Carter (Olga Supphozova) mid-transformation during a makeup workshop in the dressing room. Photo courtesy of Lied Center for the Performing Arts.