Not your grandma’s Odette. Or is she?

[Manhattnik]

Talking to a friend today about the two terrific Swan Lakes I saw this week, and one aspect of how they were so special. Usually, Odette is the damsel in distress with feathers, flinging herself at Siegfried as her big hunky (and absolutely not gay how could you say that?) rescuer. 

 

Instead, Isabella Boylston suggested, with delicate touches of her fingers, she was subtly instructing Daniel Camargo. Catherine Hurlin kept skittishly pushing herself away from James Whiteside, demanding to be courted, wooed, and respected. In each case, Odette, however subtly, was calling the shots. (I was thrilled—I’ve never seen this made so explicit before, although I do have a gift for missing things which are right under my nose.)

 

“So you could say,” I expostulated, trying to find the right metaphor, “that in each case, not that I would know anything about this personally, Odette is topping from the bottom.”

 

Friend burst out laughing—thank God I didn’t need to explain. 
 

But, y’know, there’s even more power exchange in the Black Swan. Except Odile is definitely the pro domme, and always on top. I mean, c’mon. 
 

I’d have definitely used this for Dance Tabs.

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks for posting!

 

It’s such an evocative description.

[Angela Essex]

Interesting perspective. I thought that Marianela Nunez’s Odette at ROH last season was the same - enticing Vadim  to pursue and chase her, in a very innocent and ladylike way though. Definitely topping from the bottom too. 

[Manhattnik]

It’s nice to see Odette with a little more agency. Also this sets up some interesting parallels with how Odile handles S.