The Hong Kong Arts Festival brightens Hong Kong’s cultural scene for the 41st year running, with its star-studded month-long program. Given the vast selection of international and local opera, theater, music, jazz, dance and youth-friendly performances, you’re sure to find something that will fascinate, inspire or just plain entertain. For those desiring a more hands-on experience, master classes, workshops, backstage tours and more are on offer. Performance venues and ticket prices vary; see website for more details.
HK Magazine: What is playing the role of Giselle like?
The principal dancer of the prestigious San Francisco Ballet Company, Yuanyuan Tan’s career was serendipitously decided by a coin toss: her mother wanted her to dance, while her father wanted her to become a doctor. She departed from her hometown of Shanghai and is now one of the most acclaimed Chinese ballerinas today. She tells Leanne Mirandilla about the role of Giselle and about some of the ups and downs of being a dancer.
HK Magazine: What made you first become interested in ballet?
Raffaele Morra: I have no idea. I always knew I wanted to be a ballet dancer—when I was six years old, my teacher asked me to draw how I saw myself in the future and I drew myself with my leg up, dancing ballet. It’s always been in my head. I finally decided to become a dancer when I was 13 or 14 years old.
HK: Why did you decide to join the Trocks?
Ballet Dancer Raffaele Morra trained hard in conventional ballet before joining Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (The Trocks), an all-male ballet troupe that has become infamous for their affectionately irreverent (read: drag) approach to the dance form. Morra tells Susie Riza about the company, his passion for ballet, and what it’s like to dance female roles.
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