In Hong Kong: 'Russia's best' classical ballet master Alexei Ratmansky
Artist seen as the standard-bearer for classical ballet choreographs Carnival of the Animals for Hong Kong Ballet and, unusually, leads their rehearsals
Alexei Ratmansky bounds across a studio in Kwai Tsing imitating a jellyfish. Not movements you normally associate with a choreographer of his stature. But Ratmansky, who is in town to stage his Le Carnaval des Animaux (Carnival of the Animals) for Hong Kong Ballet, is no ordinary artist.
"Your arms should be like this," says Ratmansky, as ballerinas and apprentice jellyfish Zhang Siyuan and Gao Ge follow him intently.
The aquarium sequence also involves a shoal of hungry fish darting around the stage. The steps are intricate and it takes repeated attempts for the dancers to coordinate themselves properly. Ratmansky is endlessly patient, demonstrating the moves with extraordinary expressiveness and an energy that belies his 45 years.
Talking after the rehearsal, the choreographer is soft-spoken, articulate and refreshingly unassuming.
Le Carnaval des Animaux, set to Camille Saint-Saens' musical suite of the same name, was created for the San Francisco Ballet in 2003. It owes its continued success, says Ratmansky, "to the music - it's brilliant and everybody knows it". The light-hearted piece is a contrast to the darker works on the Hong Kong Ballet's upcoming programme, for the shows which run from May 29 to 31.