Sophia Lucia and William Jackson Beckham - Swan Lake Pas de Deux (Varna IBC 2016)

TCHAIKOVSKY "Swan Lake", Pas de deux of Odile and Ziegfrid Act III.
Jack received the Junior Male First Class Distinction and a Prize for being a Promising Young Dancer.
Sophia received a Bounty Award for partnership.
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None of the work in this video is mine, nor am I claiming it to be. If you are a dancer/parent/teacher/choreographer and would like this video removed, please let me know!
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[@vivianklein731]

Y‘all are really hard on her. First of all she didn‘t even compete & I think it‘s incredibly nice learning one of the hardest variations in ballet just for your partner. and she said herself that she wasn‘t prepared enough. she knows that she‘s far away from perfection or whatever . Do people realise that she started getting fully into ballet only like 2 years before she did this performance? therefore i think she did absolutely amazing and is really gifted. Ofc she isn‘t as good as vaganova girls but she‘s not trying to be. she said herself that she doesn‘t wanna be a ballerina in the future. so don‘t be so hard and appreciate all the hard work and effort she put into rehearsels and the performance to be as good as possible and to help her friend and partner out.

[@victoriancarwash4393]

I know right? She's very young but they all expect her to dance like the prima ballerinas

[@anastasiabananastasia]

Vivian Klein she left ballet I think

[@itzuniomg_5689]

Vivian Klein totally agree. She needs improvement, but who doesn’t? People need to start looking at her like a normal student as opposed to an amazing super god that just disappointed their subjects.

[@itzuniomg_5689]

Cat Ears yeah I can see where you’re getting with that. On the other hand it may just be hardcore fans sugarcoating everything they say, so you shouldn’t be so hard about that.

[@leeelahglitz47]

I too thought it was 2 years that she had been doing serious ballet before this variation, but Sophia actually told me she had only been doing ballet and Pointe seriously for 8-9 months before she came to Varna to do this!

[@Ty-mu7gl]

She's incredible. Imagine being this good after just two years fully immersed in classical training. I often wonder how often she would've gotten had she not quit competing

[@onceuponablink7666]

People need to remember the time of this she just learned ballet two or three years ago so for someone who hadn’t trained as much as other people this is very good she still has a long ways to go but she knows that

[@leeelahglitz47]

Actually, I talked with Sophia about this particular variation, because I was curious to hear her opinion on it all. She said she was not overly confident performing it, and that the stress of this variation, along with the long tiresome practices, and lack of serious Pointe training, really got to her. She herself said, "I wasn't ready, but I did it for my partner Jack." Sophia also explained that she was only doing ballet seriously for 8-9 months before she performed this variation.

[@davemccarysucks]

@@leeelahglitz47 funny that I find you here baha sophia stans unite lol but honestly what you are saying makes complete sense and she was really young when she did this your always so mature when talking to people 😊

[@katywuste9054]

Exquisite this young lady goes from strength to strength

[@jkokich]

Wonderful from both, and they are still so very young. No need to criticize either one of them.

[@chuckcissel1106]

Both did a wonderful job. Young and talented.

[@chrissughhhhh]

She is so young... how can she do it so so well

[@buchanprasad868]

Chrissa Lee .v

[@kaytlynned.6112]

Great dancer i just wish she was a little softer in some parts

[@aimeemartin8488]

Very lovely could be a bit softer though seemed to be to contemporary in parts where it shouldn't be and more fluidity between movements altogether very well done for a student still learning

[@aimeemartin8488]

Also needs better connection with partner

[@leeelahglitz47]

Haven't you seen their duos The Source, Protect Me, or The Path? They were best friends, and their connection and partnering skills were top notch. I think Sophia was nervous throughout this performance, so she wasn't at her best.

[@katrinacarrico1267]

That was amazing!

[@marilivenditti5339]

Sophia é linda e o rapaz muito talentoso. Parabéns aos dois!

[@diarraamoa1312]

Wait 2 years did all of that damn what kind of potion is she drinking that was amazing for 2 years

[@alisayacolon8906]

Beautiful

[@itzuniomg_5689]

Okay, so responding to a lot of comments I’ve been seeing. Sophia, in my opinion, is a bit rough when she was dancing this, but other than that and obvious technical matters that I won’t get into because frankly no one but her teachers and judges have has the right to criticize her deeply. She’s a great dancer, you’d have to be an idiot to not acknowledge her talent. I’ve seen some comments saying that she isn’t on the music or she doesn’t have artistry. That’s not entirely true. While, maybe, in some parts she was off in counts, we also have to consider that it may be specific counts that her teachers have given her because it’s a different version. Her artistry? While she might not have been as projecting as people would’ve liked, it was still present throughout most of it and she kept a pleasant face during all her turns, even when she had a hiccup in the variation. I would give her the credit. Also, I’ve seen people say that she’s all flexibility and turns and nothing else. That’s not true either. Those are definitely strong and defining points of Sophia, but she is a well rounded dancer. You have to have high technique to pull off a pas de deux, period. This particular pas de deux is one of the harder ones in ballet, and as a student, to pull it off is pretty damn impressive. Considering that she doesn’t put all her effort into just ballet, as she is dancing other styles as well (Sorry if I’m wrong but that’s what I thought), I think people should give her more credit that they are. Obviously she’s a student, and obviously, she’s not perfect. But to ignore basically half her talent during such a difficult pas de deux is simply outrageous. Also, she’s competing at Varna, and that’s up there in ballet competitions. Give her credit for her accomplishments, and let her improve in peace. In reality? She probably knows this and she’s probably way better now considering this was two years ago.

[@liobu3097]

ItzUni OMG_ Agreed except the part you said only her teachers are the only one who can criticize her. Actually most ballerinas or danseurs have learned from advices from experienced dancers, and saying that her teacher has the only right to criticize her would make her ignorant to other’s opinion

[@leeelahglitz47]

AGREED! I think people need to remember that Sophia had only been doing ballet seriously for 8-9 months before this variation, and she wasn't in a great head space while at MBA. Despite the little hiccups, she did beautifully!

[@zoricasmiljanic7601]

Perfect and i am Dance ballet !!!I am love dancing !!!😀😘😘😘

[@jennywang3772]

Sometimes it seems like she’s flinging her legs up rather than lifting them up

[@elsielu2925]

Amazing since she is so young. But it looks a little contemporary

[@judithleexD]

She never showed how tired she is, but it wouldve been better if she had worked with music more. Still amazing she's kept all if her flexibility

[@hunnoatila]

A bailarina vai longe!!!! =)

[@kalistadevera4270]

I love the music

[@janehervilla7143]

Sophias arms couldve been softer. She flicks them too much but i love her

[@Jackie-mf9hu]

She seems a little rushed or something. Sophia, just remember it’s not all about the turns. She seemed very nervous 😟 in your Fuentes you were trying to turn so fast that you never hit second in the second half

[@ryanharris8280]

JC Dancer she posted a pic on insta of a tbt to when she did this, and she answered a comment saying she was nervous and that it was kind of sloppy.

[@itzuniomg_5689]

JC Dancer I noticed this, but also kudos for this girl to even pull it off that well. I think the ending of her fouttes was definitely a smart choice, whether it was choreographed or not. She was falling out of the turns and the piké turns definitely steadied her a bit.

[@leeelahglitz47]

@@ryanharris8280 I think that was my comment she replied that too 😂 I asked her about it on the tbt post 😂

[@kimhoa7633]

I feel she's a bit rush and seems like she didnt listen to the music

[@emilysmall1]

She has nice turns, but other than that, the artistry is absent. And she is not dancing with the music...

[@cyybur]

Wenqin Chen you should watch some of her solos. she has wonderful artistry.

[@arielburrow9433]

Which is why I expected better.... she isn't mature enough for this role.

[@shannonleo742]

I mean, I agree though she was only 13 at the time of this performance!

[@triniroma4957]

Definitely agree

[@ashley_agabao5516]

Like you are 😒

[@alicew2454]

I feel as if its very musical theatre type acting whereas she should be connecting and trying to get his attention

[@nayeneville]

Definitivamente ella es hermosa , pero para este ballet de alto grado de dificultad le falta más limpieza en los detalles calidad de brazos desde la espalda, también máyor Tonificación en músculos de piernas y brazos , así como calidad en el attitude derriere en general , y un poco bajar de talla para verse más larga, trabajando esos detalles sería virtuosa en clásico también , porque por lo demás es una gran artista y bailarina con mucho potencial

[@lexrock8726]

Pero para los 14 años que tenia ahí, ella esta super bien, imaginate cuando tenga 18, va a tener una tecnica super pulida si la sigue trabajando

[@rytka1293]

Lex Rock tú lo has dicho, si sigue trabajando. Creo que la formación en danza contemporánea no le ha ayudado a desarrollar los músculos y fortalecer los huesos en la manera que el ballet clásico lo requiere.

[@lexrock8726]

rytka 12 eso que ni que, pero ya quisiera tener yo asi mi técnica.

[@twodrunkgirlswholovemakeup2867]

For such a well known turner, it's a shame she bagged out of her fouttes, perhaps it was the raked stage at Varna.

[@Success.777]

So this is the path she chose ballet

[@jigglypuddin1345]

im sure she will make a beautiful ballet dancer when she grows up :)

[@anastasiabananastasia]

Jiggly kumquat she is grown as far as ballet is concerned

[@leeelahglitz47]

Sophia quit ballet about 2 years ago. She's focusing on self taught contemporary, music, and acting as of right now.

[@easypeasy282]

Will she come this year to this competition in Bulgaria, Varna?

[@AmazingDanceTalent1]

No she will not. She has not competed or kept up with dance much over the past couple of years.

[@easypeasy282]

AmazingDanceTalent1 thank you so much!

[@Success.777]

I MISS HER SPINS

[@2.5kpoints97]

It’s overall too harsh, she needs to work on her fluidity. I also think the lifts weren’t very good, he struggled a bit and the lifts weren’t very high. Still amazing for her age though.

[@leeelahglitz47]

She had only been doing ballet seriously for 8-9 months before this variation, so I don't think anyone can expect her to be perfect. I agree with you, but I also think some people are being quite harsh lol (this isn't aimed at you by the way 💓)

[@katharinaspeelman1623]

How old is the female

[@AmazingDanceTalent1]

Sophia was 13 at the time of this performance. (July 2016)

[@pastel8824]

Katharina Speelman she 15 or 16 now

[@anastasiabananastasia]

Meh

[@kayvg727]

Sophia is better than Maddie😒

[@ThisIsTheKendom]

Kay VG but literally no one is talking about that maddie doesn’t really even dance anymore. Focus on Sophia dancing not who she’s better than

[@Maddie-nz7gw]

I cry lmao