Dance Masters of international acclaim, Frederic Jahn and Patricia Ruanne, viisted Trinidad to choreograph for a local version of the popular ballet, Giselle, on talented dancers of the Metamorphosis Dance Company for its April 2012 dance production. Both Dance Masters have worked with famous dancers and choreographers such as Rudolf Nureyev, Kenneth MacMillan and George Balanchine, as well as with illustrious dance companies such as the Paris Opera, the Royal Ballet, La Scala, the London Festival Ballet and the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, in the roles of dancers and artistic directors.
Jahn, born in Monaco, created the role of Tybalt in the world premiere of Rudolf Nureyev’s Romeo and Juliet at the Coliseum Theatre, London in June 1977. He is now currently responsible for the entire production worldwide. His works include regulating and rehearsing classical and contemporary ballets with all levels of dancers. He offers personal coaching and preparation of dancers for roles of great difficulty, for both debutants and established principals. This he does to ease technical stress, assist their comprehension of the dramatic and musical requirements of the role, and to facilitate the collaboration between male and female artistes in their partnering skills.
Patricia Ruanne, a British national, is a former Royal Ballet and London Festival Ballet Principal Dancer and Ballet Mistress of the Paris Opèra. After beginning her professional training at the age of 13, she entered the Royal Ballet Company at Covent Garden at age 17. She secured ballerina roles in Don Quixote, La Sylphide, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty. She created the role of the Siren in Barry Moreland’s Prodigal Son in Ragtime, The Lady in Red in Ronald Hynd’s Sanguine Fan, and also danced the London premiere of Hynd’s Rosalinda. Rudolf Nureyev created the role of Juliet for his production of Romeo and Juliet on Ruanne, who retired in 1985 after touring the world with Nureyev and enjoying a distinguished career.
Dancers of the Metamorphosis Dance Company of the Caribbean School of Dancing had the privilege to be trained by both Jahn and Ruanne for the Giselle performance. The concept for the local version of the popular ballet Giselle was that it would be a contemporary Caribbean ballet based on the musical score of Giselle and accompanied by a live steel orchestra. The musical score was transcribed onto pan, just as the dancers’ bodies are adapted to contemporary ballet.
It is set on a cocoa plantation instead of the traditional wine harvest. It explores the supernatural, but uses our own Caribbean context in its themes and characterization. It will be a full-length production.
The Metamorphosis Dance Company Season 2012 was performed at Queen’s Hall, St. Anns from 26 - 29 April 2012.