Fizzing firework displays of virtuoso technique, the extremes of masculine and feminine expression, soaring music, roaring applause – there’s nothing like a grand pas! Daniel Gaudiello (principal artist, choreographer, and stunning exponent of the Don Q pas) has been inspired to make a grand pas, Tristan and Isolde, in the style of Petipa for our upcoming Bodytorque season. For Daniel, “this format best shows off the dancers’ special abilities together and individually”. Which got us thinking about our favourite pas de deux! Here are some of ballet’s showiest showstoppers, and why we think they’re grand.
Christine Walsh and David Ashmole in The Sleeping Beauty 1988. Photo Anthony Crickmay
The Sleeping Beauty, Act III pas de deux, Petipa
The grand pas in The Sleeping Beauty, like so many of the genre, is the climactic wedding scene that ends the ballet. And, like so many of the classic pas, it’s choreographed by Petipa and scored by Tchaikovsky. Here we see the traditional form of the grand pas: an opening adage, a variation for both male and female dancers, and a coda in which they are reunited. Aurora is marrying the prince who’s kissed her back to life, and she’s transformed from a girl to a gracious woman. The two express their love with a royal dignity (although they’re not above showing off with a fishdive or three). Aurora’s stately but sensual variation, in which her twining arms seem to embrace the air, is a highlight.
Ty King-Wall and Lana Jones in Swan Lake, Black Swan Pas de Deux. Photo Jessica Bialek
Swan Lake, Black Swan Pas de Deux, Petipa/Ivanov
This is technically a grand pas d’action, as it progresses the plot instead of being just a piece of stuff-strutting. We’re seeing Odile deliver the coup de grace to the besotted, enchanted Siegfried, as with every dazzling fouetté he gets closer to his unwitting betrayal of Odette. This is the ultimate show piece, whip-sharp, diamond-edged, sizzling with dark chemistry. The 32 fouttés that top it off started life as a party trick of the Italian ballerina Pierina Lagnani; they later became a feature of the genre.
Lucinda Dunn and Robert Curran in Don Quixote. Photo Justin Smith
Don Quixote, Act III pas de deux, Petipa
More wedding action, this time a little less exalted: the mettlesome couple Basilio and Kitri are plighting their troth after a ballet’s-worth of hi-jinksy travails. You barely recognise the knockabout lovers as they dance their majestic adage (highlight: Basilio’s spectacular turns on the diagonal to land on one knee at his bride’s feet), but in the variations personality reasserts itself – Kitri coquettes deliciously with her fan, while Basilio scorns the air with exuberant barrel turns. They compete in the coda – Kitri pulls out the famous 32 and steals the show.
Yosvani Ramos and Leanne Stojmenov in Coppelia . Photo Jim McFarlane
Coppélia, Act III pas de deux, Petipa
Like Kitri and Basilio, Franz and Swanilda are a rackety, squabbly pair who turn on the decorum for their wedding adage – all sweetly grave balances and winsome head-turns. Franz is lucky to have a variation. In the days when ballet was largely a spectacle for male aristocrats, who liked to watch women rather than men, the role of Franz was danced by a girl, and there was no variation for him. Today’s real-boy Franzs shine with light but complex turns and footwork. Swanilda’s moment in the limelight is a delight, featuring needle-delicate pointe work and precision turns.
Nobuo Fujino and Madeleine Eastoe in Le Corsaire. Photo Jim McFarlane
Le Corsaire, pas de deux, Petipa
In the wrong hands, a piece of overblown camp … and in the right hands, a piece of overblown camp that takes your breath away. A vehicle for the stunning talents of the Russian defectors Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, this is one of the few grand pas where every eye is on the male dancer. And why not? Whatever the ballerina is wearing, she can’t compete with the male’s exotic bare-chested slave-boy garb. There is a female variation, but its delicacy is no match for the explosive, brass-fanfared barrel turns of the male’s.
The Bluebird, the Peasant, the Nutcracker – what’s your all-time favourite pas? And what dancers past or present would you love to see dancing them?
Impossible to choose 1, so my top 4 favourite pas de deux’s are… Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake – Odette and Siegfried in Act 2 (The Lake) – just stunning and so heartfelt!
A new addition to my faves is the pas de deux at the end of Act 1 in Madame Butterfly – it just comes out of nowhere and is incredible!!!
After the Rain is just beyond words gorgeous, there is an amazing video of it on Youtube which is set on the beach at sunset… pretty spectacular!
And Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker – the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince perform a stunning pas de deux (the tutu definitely helps!)
Toss up between balcony scene Romeo and Julliet (Kenneth McMillan) and Act 2 Giselle.
Can’t believe Manon/Des Grieux pas de deux in the bedroom from MacMillan isn’t here!
It’s definitely one of my favourites, although I do like the one in Coppelia Act III. I have seen Tamara Rojo as Manon and she is absolutely spectacular
Ratmansky’s wedding pas de deux for the Mariinsky’s super fun “The Little Humpbacked Horse” is one of the most delicious choreographic inventions ever: the Tsar Maiden goes dizzy from one too many pirouettes & Ivan, the new Tsar, needs her assistance in order to pick his virtuoso steps. From the 19th century rep our vote is split between Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker – such eloquent score!
The first four held memories of other artists at performances I have seen, and just tap into my love of ballet. Having set my ballet reminisences afloat I recall seeing The Piano and the competition, although not pas de deuxs.
Alice, thanks for the tip re After the Rain on Fire Island – what a perfect setting for that luscious pas de deux!
I would certainly agree with all those mentioned above, and add Tim Harbour’s “Halcyon” to the list, and the romantic pas de deux from Stephen Baynes’ “Molto Vivace”, and the pas de deux from the last act of the Ashton “Cinderella”, and the pas de deux from…you get the picture
Totally agree with Katherine on the Manon bedroom pas de deux. But I’ll also put in a vote for the final pas de deux for Rudolf and Mary Vetsera in MacMillan’s Mayerling ‘cos only the most emotionally and technically fearless dancers dare perform it.