Webcast from dancers’ class - Friday 22 June at 1.30pm
We’ll be broadcasting live from a very special dancers’ class in the Peter Darrell Studio at Scottish Ballet’s headquarters. Scottish Ballet, English National Ballet and National Dance Company Wales are currently on tour with Dance GB, and this webcast offers the unique opportunity to watch all three companies taking their daily technique class together. The class will be followed by a Q&A session with dancers Christopher Harrison (Scottish Ballet), Annabeth Berkeley (National Dance Company Wales) and Begoña Cao (English National Ballet), and we’ll be taking questions live online.
Send us your questions via Twitter (@scottishballet, #DanceGB) or Facebook.
Erik Cavallari and Sophie Laplane in rehearsals for A Streetcar Named Desire. Photo: Andrew Ross.
Q&A - getting into character. #1 - Victor Zarallo
In the run up to the opening of A Streetcar Named Desire, our dancers talk about how they get into character.
Victor Zarallo (right)
Tell us about your character in A Streetcar Named Desire
I play Alan, Blanche’s husband. I meet Blanche when I am a young man, about 18, and I fall in love with her. Then at our wedding, I become attracted to a man, but my character doesn’t understand what these feelings are. I’m torn because I’m deeply in love with Blanche, but I’m attracted to him. We meet again later, and Blanche finds us together. I try to make her accept me, and I try to continue my relationship with her, but she feels betrayed by me, even though she still loves me, and I kill myself because I know I have done the wrong thing. After I have died, Blanche is haunted by visions of me
Have you faced any particular challenges learning this role?
Sometimes it can be difficult getting the emotional balance right. In my duet with the young man, I start quite resistant, but I gradually get closer to him and the duet becomes more intimate. The pas de trois I dance with him and Blanche is also a challenge as my character is embarrassed but also has to show that he wants Blanche and the young man at the same time.
It can be distracting if you’re rehearsing a scene that’s just you and your partner but you’re aware of other people in the room all watching you, so to stay in character, I try to shut them out and pretend it’s only me and the people I’m dancing with in the room.
What have you enjoyed most about the rehearsal process?
I’ve really enjoyed the dramatic aspect of this production and creating the character through movement. In each run through, I try to act a little differently so I have more information about the character, more understanding to bring to the stage. It’s important to keep the character interesting for yourself as well so your performance is always fresh, so on this tour, I will try to perform Alan slightly differently every night.
Luke Ahmet and Victor Zarallo in rehearsals for A Streetcar Named Desire. Photo: Andrew Ross.
