The Magic of The Corps de Ballet

Being featured as a Soloist or Principal Dancer is a great honor and privilege and the experience carries with it a mark of accomplishment both technically and artistically.  On the other end of the artistic spectrum of a ballet company, however, is the army of dancers which make up the Corps de Ballet--the backbone of a ballet.  While often overlooked, The Corps possesses the ability to make or break a ballet.  When their work is done right, you know it instantly--suddenly thirty ballerinas are moving, breathing, acting as one--and it is truly an experience to behold.  The magic isn't only felt by the audience, who has the advantage of seeing the patterns from above, as illustrated wonderfully in this excerpt from The Paris Opera Ballet's Swan Lake,

the transcendent rush you experience by fusing your dance with fellow human beings is unlike much else in this world.  You have a responsibility--to them, to the audience, to yourself.  As a student, I remember having the importance of good Corps work impressed upon us, but I also remember the fun of the unspoken game (especially when paired in duets or trios) to see just how "together" you could be with your partner(s).  When your dancing is so linked to that of another, your dancing reaches another level, entirely--the joy of interacting with your fellow dancers at such an intense uniformity gives you an unlikely freedom to increase the effect your movement and expression have on an audience--because it has the possibility of being magnified by the number of dancers involved. So, here's to The Corps--the dancers who can make us hold our breath with their synchronicity and beauty!