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Appalachian State University: The Schaefer Center Presents Award-Winning Comic Ballet Feb. 9

 
BOONE— The “The Schaefer Center Presents…” performance series, presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, continues its 2017-18 season with a performance by the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo on Friday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for Appalachian faculty/staff and retired faculty/staff and $15 for students and children. For more information, call the Schaefer Center Box Office at 800-841-ARTS (2787) or 828-262-4046, or visit http://theschaefercenter.org/.
 
Last seen in Boone in 2000, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo return to present their playful, entertaining view of traditional, classical ballet in parody form. For more than 40 years, the Trocks, as they are affectionately known, have been delighting audiences of all ages with a company of professional male dancers performing the full range of the ballet and modern dance repertoire, including classical and original works.
 
The comedy is achieved by incorporating and exaggerating the foibles, accidents, and underlying incongruities of serious dance. The fact that men dance all the parts—heavy bodies delicately balancing on toes as swans, sylphs, water sprites, romantic princesses, angst-ridden Victorian ladies–enhances rather than mocks the spirit of dance as an art form, delighting and amusing the most knowledgeable, as well as novices, in the audience.
 
Since the beginning, the Trocks have established themselves as a major dance phenomenon throughout the world. They have participated in dance festivals in Turkey, Bogota, Holland, Finland, San Luis Potosi, Madrid, Montreal, New York City, Paris, Lyon, Rome, Spoleto, Turin, and Vienna. There have been television appearances as varied as a Shirley MacLaine special, the “Dick Cavett Show,” “What’s My Line?” “Real People,” “On-Stage America,” with Kermit and Miss Piggy on their show “Muppet Babies,” and a BBC Omibus special on the world of ballet hosted by Jennifer Saunders. There have been solo specials on national networks in Japan and Germany, as well as a French television special with Julia Migenes. 
 
Bobbi Jo Hart’s documentary film about the company and its dancers, Rebels on Pointe, opened in theaters nationwide on Nov. 15, 2017. Exploring universal themes of identity, dreams, family, loss and love, Rebels on Pointe is the first-ever feature documentary celebrating the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The film juxtaposes behind-the-scenes access, rich archives and history, intimate character-driven stories, and amazing dance performances shot in North America, Europe and Japan. Rebels on Pointe is a creative blend of gender, diversity, passion and purpose. A story which ultimately proves that a ballerina is not only a woman dancing — but an act of rebellion in a tutu.
 
Press Quotes
“The Trocks may show you how to laugh at ballet, but they also teach you to love it.” – The New York Post
 
“Fire, flood, illness, trauma — nothing could stop Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte
Carlo from dancing, and all for you, you, you.” – Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times
 
“Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo…remains one of the great comic creations of the American stage.” – San Francisco Chronicle
 
“The Trocks are a guaranteed hoot for people who know nothing of ballet and an absolute must for those who think they know the originals.” – Sydney Star Observer
 
“As taboos melt, as once-formidable boundaries become semi-permeable membranes, and the laws have made room for us, the Trocks have recruited dancers trained in the great schools of Cuba, Italy, Hungary, and gained virtuosi who like American freedoms and enjoy dancing on pointe. Moreover, they have the temperaments, physiques, and training to perform at Olympic levels.” – Paul Parish, The Bay Area Reporter
 
The Schaefer Center Presents: Spring 2018
For videos, images, and detailed information about each performance, visit www.theschaefercenter.org
 
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Fierce fiddling duo command the stage with an explosive celebration of raw energy and passion that infuses their traditional heritage with their taste for the contemporary.
 
Friday, March 16, 2018
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
The Golden Dragon Acrobats combine award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty.
 
April 13 – 15, 2018
By Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
This thrilling, theatrical treat by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world. The show’s Broadway premiere received eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. This is a production of Appalachian’s Department of Theatre and Dance and the Hayes School of Music.
 
Friday, April 20, 2018
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus use their unique style of classical, hip-hop, rock and pop to create a high energy sound that is enjoyed by fans of all ages and backgrounds. Backed on stage by drummer Nat Stokes and DJ SPS, Black Violin delivers an entertaining yet powerful show that encourages people of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds to overcome barriers and find what brings us together. 
 
Tickets
For tickets, visit the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts box office or online at http://theschaefercenter.org. A faculty/staff and retired faculty/staff discount is available when tickets are purchased over the phone or at the box office. To purchase tickets, call or visit the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at 800-841-2787828-262-4046 or visit: http://theschaefercenter.org.
 
About “The Schaefer Center Presents”
“The Schaefer Center Presents” is a series offering campus and community audiences a diverse array of music, dance and theatre programming designed to enrich the cultural landscape of the Appalachian State University campus and surrounding area. By creating memorable performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities, the series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance experience; provides a “window on the world” through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists; and showcases some of the finest artists of our nation and our region. Musical events range from symphony orchestra and chamber music performances to jazz, folk, traditional, international, and popular artists. Theatre productions run the gamut from serious drama to musical comedy. Dance performances offer an equally wide array of styles, from ballet to modern dance to international companies representing cultural traditions from around the world. For more information, visit http://theschaefercenter.org.