The corps de ballet

Its importance on par with principal dancers:

by Gwen Herat

Samantha Raine of the Royal Ballet who has danced in the corps de ballet for over nine years and promoted as Soloist in 2006 knows better than many dancers the importance placed in a corps de ballet as she handles 24 girls that make up the Royal Ballet's corps de ballet. This is Raine's second season and she is very clear about her role being aware that major dancers emerge from under disciplined training. When she rehearses them she makes sure that they know what they are doing and they do their best to reach the high standard of the company. Building on their performance is not an easy task for Rainer who is mindful that the best corps de ballet in the world belong to the Royal Ballet.

As it is part of life in a ballet, almost all the leading ballet companies around the world prode themselves with their ensembles. In fact, some of the best choreography has been created for them. Take for example Swan Lake. What would it be without its corps de ballet. The beautiful swans depicted are by the corps de balled and their ethereal aura is no match to any other ensemble nor any group dancing. We find Prince Siegfried most of the time among te swanseas well as when he is Odette and Odille.

Here, the corps de ballet make up the whole background, fill the backdrop by their pure white swan feathers; like whiffs of snow and at times steal the dance from the principal dancers. Their co-ordinated dancing never comes in the way with the principals at dance. They hold on to their own and often holds the attention of the audience.

Prima ballerinas

The Royal Ballet with its distinguished and long history of turning members of the corps into prima ballerinas, places great emphasis on the strength and their elegant bodies, makes sure that the girls fall into the right slots and perhaps, in the same range of age.

The job is demanding. The corps can be at rehearsal with McGregor and minutes later, are summoned to the next studio to do a Balanchine or even a MacMillan in one day and all are rehearsed up to four styles depending on the requirement of each and every choreographer because no two choreographers rehearse the same way in style and ado steps. And who is the guiding force behind a successful corps?

It is a combination of many things such as teamwork, pride in the task and knowing they all are incredible.

Injuries

The ballets can never go on without the corps and though each one of them happen to be one of many dancers, they are still as important as the Principals on any given evening. It is just not about legs and arms all in the same lines but creating an atmosphere with feeling. So, when they work as a team, the spirit comes across to the audience.

But the inevitable happens when injuries claim dancers in the corps. Then the company calls on the services of students from the Royal Ballet School and this ensures there will never be a breakdown and the show will go on after replacement.

The arrangement thrills the students of the school because it avails the next generation of dancers invaluable time working with the full corps.

The best spot for a full corps is the Covent Garden stage because performance space for them stretches out and they feel free as not step on each other if the corps contain over 20 or more dancers as found in the Swan Lake. It is same in the Nutcracker's snowflakes. Space give them easy movement without any restriction and a full corps de ballet is full exhibition of their worth.

The satisfaction they get after a performance is the best thing being in a ballet's corps. When a corps h ave a good energy on stage, they create the right atmosphere and for that purpose, they have to make sure that everything looks precise and coordinated, for the choreographer to come up with a scintilating corps for his ballet would be more difficult than putting the principals through their paces.

Disaster

He has to be mindful of lines, timings and arm together with leg heighs need to be corrected. Rehearsal time may not be the same as with principals. They have to work together and that is being a unified body and not just one dancer. In instances where the corps has to run fast and abruptly stop and if one went wrong, the result would be a disaster or a domino effect. But when every one gets it right, it is spectacular and good enough to steal the show from the main dancers.

Very often, I have had my eyes focused on the corps of Swan Lake even when Siegfried comes running is search of Odette. In that split of a second, the corps had taken over the scenario. The fact that Swan Lake produce to best corps is in what they wear. Dressed like living swans, the whiffs of white feather, all frothy and ethreal, makes them apart from the rest.

Dancers

And to realise they do very little dancing or nothing at all except a few leaps and coordinated movements. After all, they are only swans but the choreographer turns them into real princesses on stage.

Most dancers enjoy being a part of the corps and realising the best thing being in the corps is also probably the worse thing because they are on every show and can be very hard and tiring and if they want to be dancers with hope for the future, they must be prepared to face the live audience. If they are lucky they will find many friends in the corps who together will make this aristic journey until all reach their cherished dreams of being the principals. Some make in their early years and many wait for longers years while the rest fall back.

If one has been a corps member, being a principal is easier because she has gathered lot of experience, strength and energy and waiting on the wings to get to the top.