tongue in cheek

Brute force ballet: The Trockaderos steamroll through Austin en point and indrag

Les Ballets Trockadero dancers.
Les Ballets Trockadero dancers.

If the only way you know to survive a ballet is to fall asleep, you might want to check out Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. This ballet is no snoozefest. In fact, The Trocks, as the dancers affectionately call themselves, actually trick you into absorbing culture by way of hilarious parody.

Allow us to further elaborate: The ballet company is comprised entirely of men. In drag. En pointe.

Now, this performance doesn't play out as a catastrophic scene of 16 men stumbling about the stage; if the dancers do falter, it’s all part of the comical choreography. The Trockadero troupe takes the art of ballet quite seriously — the company’s well-rehearsed repertory of programs includes classics like Swan Lake, Nutcracker and Stars and Stripes, as well as modern pieces like A Dance after the Paintings of Degas.

While all works are indeed performed with the best technical skill achievable by muscular men en point, they're soaked in satire that pokes fun at the stereotypical grandiosity of the affair.

All Trockadero ballerinas have Russian female alter-egos — along the lines of Margeaux Mundeyn and Ida Nevasayneva — and, each night, ensconce themselves in wigs, outrageous tutus and layers upon layers of makeup and false eyelashes.

But despite their best drag efforts, The Trocks know the day will never come when one of their own will be mistaken for a female ballerina. “Women in ballet have to pull off what we're not even going for, a kind of finesse," artistic director Tory Dobrin recently told the Chicago Tribune. "In terms of dancing en pointe, in toe shoes, we're going for the brute strength, the force, the male attack."

"There are still those who want to laugh and tease," dancer Paul Ghiselin continued. "But once they see how committed we are, it cracks open a door to perceive the world in a different way. And just to enjoy."

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Tickets are available for $16-$60 for the 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night performance at The Long Center.

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Night at the Museum

Austin museum opens lush gala afterparties to the public for first time

Photo from Thecontemporaryaustin.org.

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For 11 years now, the Contemporary Austin has been hosting "Art Dinners" at its lakeside location, Laguna Gloria. These fairytale-like galas take place as dusk sets in, surrounded by twinkling lights strung across the property's sprawling 14-acre sculpture park. But until now, they've been invitation-only affairs. For the first time ever, the Contemporary Austin is inviting the public to the best part this magical evening: a late-night afterparty.

The Art Dinners have welcomed 300 art luminaries, collectors, civic leaders, and philanthropists over these years to raise funds for the museum's classes and exhibits.

On October 25, once the dishes are put away and the early birds have weeded themselves out, the Art Dinner Afterparty will begin. It will go from 9:30 until "late evening."

Guests can expect a pop-up cocktail bar by the cool Austin speakeasy Garage, with specialty drinks like espresso martinis. Plus, there will be late night snacks from Dolce Bacio Gelato and Restart CBD. Live music and performances will be provided by J'cuuzi and DJ SuperNova of Pangea Sound. Highlights also include: tarot card and palm readings, live body painting, and fire dancing. All of this set to the stunning backdrop of Laguna Gloria's grounds at night. It's basically A Midsummer Night's Dream.

A DJ performs at a late-night Laguna Gloria party. Live music for this after party will include performances by J'cuuzi and DJ SuperNova of Pangea Sound. Photo courtesy of Giant Noise

"We're excited for the magic of our iconic Art Dinner to reach wider audiences," says the museum's Earnest and Sarah Butler executive director and CEO, Sharon Maidenberg, in a release. "We wanted to extend the welcome to more folks and give them the opportunity to engage with our gala, which has historically been a very intimate affair."

Tickets are now on sale on the Contemporary Austin's website at $160 for members and $200 for nonmembers. Ticket sales will benefit the museum's exhibits and educational programming. The Contemporary is Austin's only museum focused solely on contemporary artists and their work. It offers year-round exhibitions, classes, workshops, and events.

$The Contemporary Austin \u2014 Laguna Gloria$ The Contemporary Austin — Laguna Gloria is one of the most beautifu Artwork by Tom Friedman, photo by Brian Fitzsimmons via the Contemporary Austin

Event organizers recommend that guests "dress sharp." Valet parking will be provided, but if this night is as Shakespearian as we think it might be, you may want to catch a rideshare.

More information about the museum is available at thecontemporaryaustin.org.

museums galleries galas dinner visual art