MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – Traditional classical ballet often features a ballerina getting rescued by a male dancer playing a prince.
Now there’s a new ballet company, Queer the Ballet, that is getting a lot of attention for featuring only female dancers getting rescued by other women.
Queer the Ballet held a world premiere at Baruch Performing Arts Center of a ballet called "Dream of a Common Language." It is inspired by the work of lesbian writer and activist Adrienne Rich.
Queer the Ballet company was founded by Adriana Pierce because she saw a need.
"'Dream of a Common Language' is a piece that celebrates queer community," Pierce, also the artistic director of Queer the Ballet, told PIX11 News. "It’s queer, it’s non-binary, it’s trans dancers. I am really passionate about creating inclusive spaces in the professional ballet world," she said.
The 50-minute ballet follows six dancers on their journey through community friendship, romance, and heartbreak. Eight different sections each have their own choreographer.
"I dance effeminately," Minnie Lane, one of the choreographers, told PIX11 News. "I guess my choreography takes a more critical approach to gender expression. I’m queer so I always thought of my dancing as queer, too," she said.
To the participating dancers and audience members, it was a new experience -- only women dancing and celebrating one another.
"It’s an amazing experience," Annia Hidalgo, one of the Queer the Ballet dancers, told PIX11 News. "We all speak the same language. It’s movement, it’s art, it’s ballet, it’s queerness," she said.
It was an almost sold-out show that the audience seemed to appreciate.
"Oh, I loved it. I found it very moving and touching to see such a group of so many strong women creating," Elenora Morris, an audience member, told PIX11 News. "And expressing female love and friendship in all its many forms," she said.
There will be one more performance of Queer the Ballet’s "Dream of a Common Language" at the Baruch Performing Arts Center at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information on Queer the Ballet, check out their website.
