Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Name	Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Founded	1974
Founder	Peter Anastos; Natch Taylor; Anthony Bassae
Location	New York City
Genre	Comic ballet; drag ballet; parody

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is an American all-male comic ballet company founded in 1974 in New York City that parodies classical ballet by performing en travesti in tutus and pointe shoes. The troupe blends pastiche of canonical works by choreographers such as Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, and Michel Fokine with original comic pieces, presenting a repertoire that references companies like the Kirov Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and New York City Ballet. Over decades it has toured internationally to venues including the Royal Opera House, Teatro alla Scala, and festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

History

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo was formed in 1974 by dancers associated with the New York drag and experimental dance scenes, including founders Peter Anastos, Natch Taylor, and Anthony Bassae, emerging amid contemporaneous movements around Judson Dance Theater, Guggenheim Museum exhibitions, and off-Broadway cabaret circuits. Early performances at venues like La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club and Village Vanguard connected the troupe to the downtown arts network, while reviews in publications tied to The New York Times, Village Voice, and Time facilitated wider recognition. During the 1980s and 1990s the company expanded touring schedules to the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Australia, performing in institutional contexts alongside residencies at venues such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and appearances at the Spoleto Festival USA.

Company and Artistic Direction

The company’s leadership historically combined dancer-artists and managers drawn from Off-Off-Broadway and professional ballet milieus, navigating relationships with funding bodies like the National Endowment for the Arts, private patrons associated with the Rockefeller Foundation, and presenters including Lincoln Center and regional performing arts centers. Artistic direction has emphasized virtuosity, comic timing, and historical literacy in works referencing Enrico Cecchetti technique, Sergei Diaghilev-era repertory, and Balanchine-style neoclassical vocabulary. Administrative structures mirror nonprofit performing arts organizations that contract with unions such as the American Guild of Musical Artists for touring and engagements.

Repertoire and Style

The Trockadero repertory consists of parodies and pastiches of canonical ballets—condensing motifs from Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, and works by Vaslav Nijinsky—alongside original comedic divertissements. Choreographic strategy juxtaposes codified steps from the classical repertoire with camp aesthetics associated with performers from Vaudeville and cabaret traditions, invoking physical theatre techniques informed by practitioners like Jacques Lecoq and directors from Commedia dell'arte. Costume and theatrical design nod to historic houses including the Mariinsky Theatre and properties sourced through partnerships with institutions such as the American Ballet Theatre and independent designers from the contemporary dance community.

Notable Performers and Alumni

Over its history the company has been home to performers who later worked with major institutions and creative projects, collaborating or crossing paths with artists affiliated with New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and contemporary choreographers linked to Martha Graham Dance Company and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Alumni have moved into roles in film, television, and stage productions connected to directors from Stephen Sondheim musicals, casting directors for Broadway and West End shows, and choreography credits for companies performing at the Kennedy Center and Palais Garnier.

Tours and International Recognition

The troupe’s international tours included engagements at the Royal Opera House, Teatro Colón, Teatro alla Scala, Opéra National de Paris touring series, and festival appearances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Spoleto Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow events. Presentations on campuses of institutions like Yale University, Columbia University, and University of California, Los Angeles expanded academic interest, prompting scholarly commentary published in journals associated with Dance Research Journal and conference sessions hosted by associations such as the Society of Dance History Scholars.

Reception and Criticism

Critical reception has ranged from acclaim for technical skill, wit, and preservation of ballet vocabulary to debates about parody, gender performance, and representation in performing arts discourse. Reviewers from The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, and Die Zeit have alternately praised the company’s comedic virtuosity and raised questions tied to discussions in gender studies forums and queer performance theory, often citing intersections with scholarship referencing Judith Butler, Michel Foucault, and cultural historians tracing drag lineages through RuPaul-era visibility.

Awards and Honors

The company has received recognition from performing arts institutions and community organizations, garnering awards and citations from city arts councils, inclusion in retrospectives curated by the Dance Theater Workshop circuit, and honors conferred by festivals such as Spoleto and cultural ministries in host countries. Individual dancers and choreographers associated with the troupe have been recipients of fellowships and grants from entities like the National Endowment for the Arts and private foundations linked to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Category:Ballet companies Category:Drag performers Category:Performing groups established in 1974