The Nobles of Versailles

During the reign of Louis XIV, the nobles of his court lived at the Palace at Versailles where they were forced to learn to dance. This is the way in which Louis kept his courtiers from rising against him. In order to rise in influence, the nobles spent their days taking dance lessons and participating in dance productions in which Louis himself would be the star performer.
For the MFA/Faculty show at the UW, I created a piece that explored the world of these earliest ballet dancers. The two characters in ballgowns are sophisticated and slightly unruly members of the upper class that are shadowed by the characters in underwear that represent their inner desires for freedom and sensuality. These characters emerge from beneath the skirts of the nobles at the beginning of the piece.

The fantastic cast from l to r: Kate Jensen, Annie Chang, Louis Gervais (choreographer), Joseph Schanbeck, Fausto Rivera.