👀 Insiders Look! BLACK SWAN PAS DE DEUX | Dancers' Insights | Ballet Reign

Today we're analyzing the Black Swan Pas De Deux featuring the Royal Ballet's Zenaida Yanowski as Odile the black swan, Nehemiah Kish as Prince Siegfried, and Gary Avis as the Baron Von Rothbart.
We take a deep look into deceptive plan and evil mind of two of the most famous villains in ballet, and reveal Siegfried's apprehensions about these sus guests... or lack thereof.
Turn on your ballet-nerd mode and enjoy!
Grace to you,
J&E
[We do not own the recording of this ballet]
Videos we mentioned:
Swan Lake Insights • Swan Lake Insights You...
Rose Adage Commentary • MARIANELA NUÑEZ | ROSE...
🔔 SUBSCRIBE 🔔
-------
PLACES TO FIND US:
Website: www.balletreign.com/
Instagram: / balletreign
Facebook: / balletreigncompany
-------
Email: [e-mail]

[@arualblues_zero]

Magnificent acting by everyone in that scene, especially Odile. That "evil smirk" was so incredibly expressive and subtle at the same time. Most versions I've seen have Odette appear on the window only after Siegfried already "sealed the deal", I hadn't seen her showing up a bit before like in this version.

[@balletreign]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!💯 That’s a true point; a lot of productions leave out that first appearance of Odette, as it’s not absolutely crucial to the plot, but love when it is included 👍🏻

[@user-sqab_sus5BREF]

Same, I like that detail.

[@adamuffoletto7869]

That partnering save from Kish was so smooth the only people who would've caught it were fellow professionals and those of us with the benefit of a close camera; no way an audience would've even seen it. She got off her leg during the turn (looks like her shoe got stuck on the floor) and was having trouble on the balance, so he took her waist sooner than choreographed to keep her steady. Just goes to show that while the ballerina is doing most of the eye-catching stuff during pas de deux, its the danseur that makes it all possible. Bravo!

[@balletreign]

So glad you noticed! Great observation and well said. We mustn’t neglect to honor the danseur and all that they do for us ☺️❤️

[@gregoireduplanil-weill4180]

As a non dancer, I really appreciate your explanations on her techniques and naming the different steps. It makes me really understand and appreciate more what I see ! It would be very interesting to have a video about the different styles and schools of ballet as well ! When I see a French ballerina, I feel that she dances differently than a Vaganova trained, or à Danish trained. But I cant really say why Great job as usual !

[@balletreign]

Thank you for your kind feedback and so glad to know that the videos are helping others appreciate ballet! And YES the methods of ballet training are very different one from another. Great observation! We’d love to share more about this in a future vid… 😉😉

[@dottiedavis355]

Zenaida is one of my favorites…was, since she’s now retired. To dance like this _and_ the Queen of Hearts! I also like the way she carries her height - about 5’9”, I think - so elegantly. Tall ballerinas reign! Theresa Reichlen and Dame Darcy Bussell!

[@markbeck8384]

I always wonder what Odile's story is, aside from the fact that she is playing her father's game. I do like the apparition of Odette showing up earlier. You guys are fun to watch, listen to.

[@felicity1877]

Same!

[@balletreign]

Thank you for watching!

[@susanpaul4752]

London's Royal Ballet hits the mark every time...incredibly consistent super high caliber of training, rehearsals, panel discussions, full length performances all on youtube videos. YAY! Royal Ballet and anyone in the company, in my opinion. They are very public education minded. Zenaida was always magnificent...she retired too early. She is fabulous as the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland...if you want to have endless laughter for a while.

[@balletreign]

Couldn’t agree more on the Royal Ballet 👏👏. Zenaida is the best!! She always puts a smile on our faces 🤍

[@oxoelfoxo]

whoa, full length performances? hope i can get to watch when i have access to a big screen smart TV!

[@cynthiat6505]

I really trust your expertise in teaching us about the ballet. You’re both delightful!

[@balletreign]

Thank you, that a so kind! ❤️ We are happy to share ballet with you all ☺️

[@JW-uq9yt]

I also love Natalia Osipova's odile, she mastered the character, hope one day you can include that as well!

[@balletreign]

Natalia is fabulous as Odile, we hope to share some of her dancing as well in future videos 💕🌹

[@philzmusic8098]

And Marianela Nuñez is very flirtatious.@@balletreign

[@florasaurusrex]

KZbin has been needing this channel for a long long time. 😍

[@balletreign]

So humbled. Appreciate you all for being here and making this channel so much fun to share our love of classical ballet 🩰 Thank you! ❤️🥹

[@agathaknive3321]

Your comments make it so much more enjoyable, haha. „Yeah I got it“

[@balletreign]

Lol 😂 We’re glad you enjoy our commentary!

[@micheledix2616]

Well done ladies, thank you

[@balletreign]

You’re so welcome! Thanks for watching with us ❤️☺️

[@dronesclubhighjinks]

Another amazing video! Thank you very much for sharing your interpretations and insights with us. You've certainly added to my understanding of this ballet in both its meaning, and the difficulty of the skills (moves? Idk the correct terminology). I had actually re-watched your "Swan Lake explained" video for the third time this week and I didn't even know that this topic was coming up! Zenaida Yanofsky was the original Queen of Hearts in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." She oozes charisma and it looks effortless! Please continue using as many Royal Ballet videos as you like! I love your videos, and I'm already looking forward to the next one! 😍❤️🦢

[@balletreign]

Perfect timing! Every time is a good time to watch Swan Lake lol 😉. Thank you for your kind words. Zenaida is absolutely perfect in the role of the Queen of Hearts- she’s just such a brilliant actress! Thanks for watching with us! ☺️

[@curzonproduct]

Variations and Coda next!! Glad you gave a shout out for Gary - the BEST

[@balletreign]

Hehe he’s such a great Rothbart. He’s also great as Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker. Thanks for your request! ❤️

[@lizziefrances]

There's a wonderful Royal Ballet insights episode when Zenaida is coaching this pas and shares some of what you read into this performance. Like Osipova and Nunez, the technique is so embedded it allows incredible freedom for nuance and meaning to be put into the 'in between' steps, making the story telling very natural. Osipova has a particularly beautiful musicality that allows her dancing to breathe with the music (which I love), and gives it something earthy that makes dancing your story seem completely normal and without artifice. We're so lucky to see these ladies in action.

[@maevandijk]

I'm seeing Swan Lake (Dutch National Ballet) for the very first time in two weeks and I can't wait!! These breakdown videos truly make me appreciate every detail so much more!

[@balletreign]

Thank you, so happy to hear this!🤗. The Dutch National Ballet is an AMAZING company with a fantastic production of Swan Lake (so we hear). Enjoy the show! Hope this video will enhance your Swan Lake experience. Let us know how it goes! ❤️☺️

[@oxoelfoxo]

didya like it?

[@suchendelokidottir5673]

I believe that this passage is mentioned in the fantasy novel I'm currently reading. It's called Reserved For The Cat by Mercedes Lackey. Mercedes Lackey also wrote a novel based on this ballet called the Black Swan. In her version though, Odile is not a willing participant in this part of the story.

[@oxoelfoxo]

i know Lackey wrote books based on fairy tales but i didn't know she also did ballets (or was Black Swan the only one?)

[@margareteast5670]

You young ladies are so bright and knowledgeable!

[@balletreign]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the video. We love watching ballet with you all 💕☺️

[@CheyenneSedai]

I love all these insights videos. You learn so much about ballets, even if you've seen them before.

[@balletreign]

This made us smile! Always glad to have you. Thank you so much ❤️❤️

[@amwelty]

Loved your breakdown, esp when you highlight the difficult moves by the dancers. I'm gaining a whole new appreciation.

[@balletreign]

Yay! That’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting us know you’re learning... Welcome to the world of ballet nerds lol ☺️❤️

[@Carolyn.Scareolyn]

I love watching you guys so much! I don’t know very much about ballet, but watching your love for it makes me love it too! I’m so glad I found your videos and have been learning so much watching them ❤

[@balletreign]

Yay! Thank you! Love this so much 💕 Glad to have you here learning with us and makes us so happy to hear this. “…watching your love for it (ballet) makes me love it too!” - Best comment thank you 🥰

[@eri4655]

Love these videos!

[@balletreign]

Yay! Thank you! Glad to have you here ❤️

[@Witfrenci]

Love you guys ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@balletreign]

Thank you! Love y’all too! ❤️☺️

[@ballerinafromtheblock]

Was excited to watch this after work!

[@balletreign]

Glad to be a part of your day! Always enjoy having you 😄😄

[@voyaristika5673]

I'm learning so much from you and enjoying every minute. Thanks, ladies!

[@balletreign]

This made us smile! Thank u! 😁😁

[@dances_522]

wow! your knowledge of ballet is so expansive, and I love all the videos you guys make💕💕 i had the best time watching this as I am also a ballet nerd🤭 new favorite KZbin channel💯

[@balletreign]

Yaaayy another ballet nerd! 😆. Thank you for your kind comment. So glad to have you here! ❤️

[@caffeine1299]

Every Saturday is a day I look forward to for a another amazing video from you guys 😊

[@balletreign]

We always look forward to hanging out with you all! Thanks for ballet-nerding with us on Saturdays 😁😁

[@CheyenneSedai]

same

[@felicity1877]

Thank you for your insight! It's interesting that you used Dowell's choreography and Zenaida is doing a great job, I was a bit surprised that this was not including her variation or the coda...nevertheless, I really think Odile is an intriguing character; she's energetic and enigmatic, and and sometimes I still hope that she's not that evil...I mean...who wouldn't like a dashing prince (; ? and you're right, it's made clear that she's rather manipulating here, yet I think the father-daughter-relationship should be perhaps blamed for that (; And with the Odette appearance, yeah, there's a musical element really pulling in this way. Just to mention, I always wonder why she has such a similar name to Odette,,,,,I mean, was this just because of lazy naming, or is there still a possible connection???

[@balletreign]

You’re so welcome!! thank u for sharing your thoughts on the Black Swan variation. Both Odile and Odette are female derivatives of the name “Otto”. “Odile” means “prosperous in battle” so we think she is suitably named! That’s a very good point you brought up and a name is so important 🤗👍🏻

[@felicity1877]

@@balletreign thank you for your answer, and yes, I know that both are derivatives from Otto (or female Oda), and I know the meaning. I have just wondered whether there is a story connection possible; both names are these common French, yet medival and actually noble names; and both names are almost identical. It stresses not only that Odile is so easily mistaken for Odette. I don't want to step here too much in my world of ballet theories, as I don't know how much you're interested in it. At least, for my own ideas, sometimes I think that there needs a little story connection that Rothbart's daughter has such a similar name (-->Odile) to the young woman he captured (--> Odette); perhaps as a possible key in a back story (as there are such ones, as the official ballet story doesn't give us any reasons (; ). Nevertheless, you're right, names are so important. I wish there could be any other Swan Lake movie at last again to explore such themes more and I would imagine Odile just like Desiree Artot (; (Tchaikovsky's bewitching ex-fiance (; )

[@arualblues_zero]

It always called my attention that the names of the two swans are in French (or sound like it) in the middle of this German story with names like Siegfried and Von Rothbart (Odile could have been Ottilie, which happens to be the name of my German mother in law haha).

[@felicity1877]

@@arualblues_zero That's the same with Giselle - French name in a story set in Germany (; This was actually quite common in romantic ballets set in Germany or Austria, probably because French sounds better (;

[@arualblues_zero]

@@felicity1877 That's a good point, because in Giselle the guy also has a German name. I guess they thought that the sweet lady protagonists needed names that sounded less "agressive"? And I say this with love, my husband is German and I live here, but the language doesn't really sound like what we think of a delicate ballerina haha

[@jennifercockrill6356]

So fun watching the Black Swan Pas de Deux with your narration and commentary. I enjoyed it so much more thanks to Ballet Reign.

[@balletreign]

Aww that’s so great to hear!! You are so welcome, we’re glad to have you here! Love making ballet understandable and fun to watch ;)

[@sofiahipperdinger6755]

Amazing video! Please make one with the white swan pas de deux because it’s so beautiful 🥺

[@balletreign]

Thank you so much! ❤️ Great suggestion, will definitely consider that for an upcoming video 😉

[@gstavella]

From one ballet nurd to others, LOVE your videos! I hear what your saying about the Royal Ballet, but just because you two are so insightful, Id love to hear you compare and contrast the same variation, from different companies. Like the cool and controlled Royal to the frenzied Bolshoi, or ABT vs NYCB. Or old vs new, i.e. Fonteyn vs. Osipova,etc. But whatever you do next, Rock on Ladies!

[@balletreign]

Love this, thank you so much! ☺️ Those are great ideas and we will def keep sharing ballet with y’all. You guys make it so much fun ❤️

[@PattSBell]

Thank you for your insight. Her technique's solid and so her facial expression's gold. I would love to see her Sylvia. It's a bit annoying (for me) to see Odile with the Royal Ballet's hands. Looking forward to your next videoing.❤❤❤

[@balletreign]

Thanks for your thoughts. She would be brilliant in Sylvia! Glad you enjoyed the video, looking forward to seeing you at the next one! 😁

[@everythingsophia2298]

You should analyze Don Quixote! Or Kirti Variations!

[@balletreign]

Yes would love to do that one! 😉 Thanks for your request ❤️

[@heidispellman1454]

Something for the future, please could you explain Raymonda and how Svetlana Zakhorova goes backwards with insane speed , thankyou!

[@balletreign]

You’re welcome! Great suggestion as well…. We will def consider that for a future video. Thank you! ❤️

[@kelleyforeman]

I recently went to a local production of this and they cast a woman as Von Rothbart and she got to play an evil witch. It was really cool! Great job, girls!

[@balletreign]

That’s a really interesting twist on this ballet classic! Thank you 😊

[@peterlblystone2326]

Thank you for your commentary on this famous pas de deux, which is one of the highlights of a truly magnificent ballet masterpiece, and I certainly can't find any fault with your analysis of the choreography in this production. But what's always bothered me about this number has been the treatment of the music. As most experts know, this pas de deux originally appeared in Act I, and it was Marius Petipa who, after Tchaikovsky's death, transferred it to Act III (or however the act is numbered). I can go along with that, but not with the way Riccardo Drigo tinkered with the music, as he did with the entire score. So we have here a rather strange situation: there are a number of fine recordings of the music as Tchaikovsky originally wrote it, yet the ballet companies continue to use the modified Drigo version. Now Tchaikovsky is justly regarded as one of the all-time great composers, while Drigo was a minor tunesmith that few people have even heard of. Anyway, I hope some day to see a production using the music as Tchaikovsky wrote it. The choreography, as you described it, would not need to be modified to any great extent, and the final section, which you did not cover and in which the ballerina performs her fabulous fouettés, is usually performed as written anyway. You can say what you want about Drigo, but I'll always feel that Tchaikovsky knew best.

[@balletreign]

Thank you for your thoughts on this! We would absolutely LOVE to see Swan Lake with Tchaikovsky’s original score ✨🙌🏻

[@alexliu5595]

Great analysis of this wonderful pas de deux! I'm not so much a fan of a smiling Odile, I prefer the full bad girl move but either way this pas de deux and royal ballet production is simply great. Though my favorite is clearly Nureyev's in Paris. I also love that Swan Lake is, in a way, a self-analysis of Tchaikovsky himself...

[@balletreign]

Yes there are so many different ways to interpret such a complex role in a wonderful ballet! Your mention of swan lake being Tchaikovsky’s self-analysis piques our interest... we’d love to learn more about it!

[@alexliu5595]

@@balletreign According to some historians, Swan Lake is a reminiscence of Tchaikovsky's own sexuality and mental health. Even though he got married, he was openly gay and went through rough times, depression and also had to deal with his wife's resentment. In Swan Lake, Siegfried is not attracted to women (he is reluctant to marry). But he is attracted to the one person he cannot openly love since she will me damned for eternity... Now it all depends on versions, but some people feel that Siegfried is a projection of Tchaikovsky himself: unable to love women and living a love story that is not socially acceptable. Nureyev's version emphasizes this point, with mostly men in the corps de ballet and a new character : the Preceptor. Both the Preceptor and Rothbart are played by the same dancer, which creates a parallel with Odette/Odile part. There is a pas de deux between Siegfried and the Preceptor which can let us think that maybe they have an affair (wether it's consensual or not is not clear). So it fueled theories about Siegfried actually being gay. I love that Swan Lake has so many layers, just like Giselle! You can picture it as a fairy tale, but also as a much darker story about faithfulness, hubris and deceptiveness...

[@katherinedobias7499]

For the one hand en dedon, the guy was turning her at her waist so maybe that's why she's able to do it

[@balletreign]

Yes, absolutely, he is a very skilled partner! It definitely takes two to make the step work, and both dancers handled it without a problem. Thank you for watching, great observation:)

[@minissa2009]

Do you have (or would you do) a vid for the true ballet nerd that goes over the development of this music and dance into the pdd we're familiar with today? Someone commented that the Odile variation was written by Minkus, and of the 2 variations for Odile we see most often, I'm not sure that's true. Also, variations, coda, and a mention that we see 2 more casts briefly (including Nela)? Fun, as always!

[@felicity1877]

According to Wikipedia about the classical Odile variation: "the now familiar Variation of Odile of The Black Swan Pas de Deux was orchestrated by Drigo from Tchaikovsky's Opus 72 for Piano - No. 12 L'Espiègle, which is still danced today by nearly every Ballerina as Odile." Which means, there's nothing in Swan Lake which is not by Tchaikovsky, though this piece (as well as the Valse bluette - sometimes in Act 4) is not from the actual Swan Lake score. The comment mentioning Minkus has confused this a bit - as Minkus was indeed requested for a pas de deux in Act 3, but Tchaikovsky didn't agree with any other music apart his own in his works and so he composed instead the today known Tchaikovsky Pas de deux (as the pas de deux no 5 is commonly used as Black Swan Pas de deux - apart from the female variation (; )

[@balletreign]

The music of Swan Lake is a very interesting study. There was a lot that went on with it. We’d def consider talking about it in another video! ☺️💕

[@minissa2009]

@@felicity1877 That's what I thought. IIRC, Wikipedia's entry for the whole development of the Swan Lake score was quite extensive and very well researched. I would love to go back in time and see what Julius Reisinger actually did with the choreography that was so bad the ballet basically bombed, and would not mind seeing it as it was redone in 1895 (I think this was what Ratmansky's reconstruction was based on). OMG I've found people to nerd out with over ballet! I thought I'd left that behind in New York in another lifetime! I'm in the Salt Lake area now and suffered culture shock when I would ask people who they saw dance over at Ballet West and got told, "Oh, I don't know, some girl with red hair." 🤣😂

[@felicity1877]

@@minissa2009 that‘s also my obsession; imagining back Swan Lake how supposed by Tchaikovsky himself and how to move this into now, that‘s all about my research and drawings/writings (do you know Wiley‘s books about Swan Lake?)

[@minissa2009]

@@felicity1877 No, tell me about them! Is your research publicly available somewhere? Would love to look!

[@BeatricerIVA-lm3vp]

Bellissimo video! Adoro quel pas de deux, penso che sia uno dei più belli mai creati! Credo che si molto bello che facciano interpretare Odile e Odette alla stessa ballerina. Credo che sia una bella occasione per mettersi alla prova. Una delle cose che mi piace di più , come avete detto voi, è il fatto che riprenda alcune pose del pas de deux del cigno bianco. Il contrasto e la somiglianza di questi pas de deux è una cosa che si può collegare a una persona vera: semplificando (per spiegarlo in modo esteso mi ci vorrebbe un libro) ogni persona ha fondamentalmente un lato oscuro e un lato buono, e farlo interpretare alla stesa ballerina, con somiglianza di pose (che per me hanno più che il significato di ingannare Siegfried) stanno a significare che i due lati esistono convivono assieme. Poi questa è solo la mia opinione, non so cosa stesse pensando Marius mentre riallestiva il lago dei cigni. Grazie per aver messo dei filmati di Natalia (scusate se la tiro sempre in mezzo ma sono ossessionata da lei. Ho 2025 foto e gif sul balletto, di cui oltre 1700 di Natalia. Adoro la sua Odile e la sua Odette)! Bellissimo il video, bellissimi i frammenti dei video (complimenti al Royal Ballet)! Grazie tanto!!!!!!😍❤🦢⚪⚫

[@balletreign]

Thank you for your kind words! Natalia Osipova is such a brilliant dancer, it’s no wonder she’s your favorite 😄.

[@sianavassileva403]

Yay

[@isabelaandzico]

I prefer the Odile’s Variation that’s more often done in Russia 🇷🇺 Ukraine 🇺🇦 and Eastern Europe. It’s not the version done more often in the West, L'Espiègle.

[@balletreign]

Absolutely, the Russian version is fabulous! 👍🏻😄💕

[@CheyenneSedai]

Question: where do you find all the excellent recordings you use? The official Royal Ballet channel only has clips, not the full thing.

[@balletreign]

Hi! The clips all from YT but it is definitely hard to find full productions. We mainly only use small clips so it makes it easier to find. Most ballet companies do not post a full production but if you search for it, there may be people out there who will repost ballets. Also the Royal Ballet does sell recordings for most of their popular ballets on their website. Hope this helps :)

[@markweinberg4287]

Personal favorite version Kirov 1968 Yelena Yevteyeva and John Markovsky kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5ire4NsfcitmcU

[@balletreign]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@deborahmarr2210]

I understand the ROH has the best videos but featuring this PDD without Russian dancers is almost like showing "The Nutcracker" without the Sugar Plum fairy. LOL. Zenaida Yanowsky’s tall (1.75m), slightly muscular Odile, although beautifully danced, has too much of the scheming dominatrix and too little of the bewitching, devious, seductive swan to be my absolute favourite. Kudos to Nehemiah Kish whose height, strength and technique supported Zenaida’s performance and who looked suitably enraptured

[@anaabendroth3460]

I love your videos. Just one glitch: The jerky editing of your stream actually gives me vertigo. Can we stop with all the video compression, please?