Cardinal Ballet Company showcases professionalism and artistry in ‘La Bayadere’ 

Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.

I’m embarrassed to admit that my prior involvement in ballet has not familiarized me with many productions beyond the usual “Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake” performances. But I’m also proud to say that I have since expanded my ballet knowledge repertoire to include “La Bayadere” (“The Temple Dancer”) after watching the Cardinal Ballet Company’s (CBC) rendition at Dinkelspiel Auditorium on Saturday. Per the event program, the student-run ballet company’s performance drew inspiration from that of the American Ballet Theater.

During the previous CBC shows I have attended (“The Nutcracker,” “Don Quixote”), a brief moment of pause opened the show. But this time, the Dinkelspiel lights all went out while an orchestral recording opened “La Bayadere.” I was caught by surprise and curiosity, wondering how long the prelude would go on for when the lights suddenly came on. White and blue stage lights spotlit a gray cauldron filled with fake fire. The red and orange tissue paper was just one of the first classic hallmarks of a school-run production. 

Chronicling the forbidden romance between temple dancer Nikiya (Anneli Chow ’26) and warrior Solor (Bradley Moon ’25 M.S. ’25), “La Bayadere” opened with Nikiya reuniting with friends in the forests of ancient India, then gliding across the state en pointe during a pas de deux with Solor. Swearing their eternal love to each other over the sacred fire, the performers drew me in with graceful artistry, technique and anticipation for the classic trope of hopeless love. 

The transition between scenes felt abrupt, largely due to the sudden cut-offs and starts accompanying each musical track. But the awkwardness soon dissipated, forgotten with the dancers’ well-coordinated quintet at the palace chambers. Party guests executed a pas de deux in which the male dancer let the female partner smoothly into a steg position on the ground before she was lifted back into the air, holding a strong arabesque. 

These numbers balanced both a celebratory energy and the regality of the palace where Rajah Dugmanta (Anton Pankevich) decreed that his daughter, Gamzatti (Amanda Cheng ’27), would marry Solor. Later, Gamzatti summoned Nikiya to the former’s chamber in an effort to bribe Nikiya to give up Solor. This scene led into an amusing unveiling of Solor’s portrait as the love rivals conveyed their disagreement through movement alone. Then, in the most elegant fight over a guy I have ever seen, Gamzatti and Nikiya chased each other around the stage, mirroring each other’s movements until Nikiya tried to stab Gamzatti and fled.

While Act I set a tense build-up for the production’s plot, Act II delivered both the climax and some of my favorite technically-rigorous moments. 

Dancers performed duets and quartets in celebration of Gamzatti’s engagement to Solor. Precise synchrony and coordination unified all performers in each ensemble, punctuated by solo appearances too. Solor’s friend delivered well-polished pirouettes and flew through jumps of astounding height. Meanwhile, the wedding variation stood out with its well-controlled balance en pointe, musicality and clean turn-out. 

Executing a stirring shift in atmosphere, the entire on-stage ensemble moved more frantically when Nikiya was bitten by a venomous snake, which Gamzatti had hidden in a basket of flowers. Nikiya repeatedly pointed at Gamzatti to convey that the Rajah’s daughter was the culprit — reminding me of the nearly excessive yet necessary dramatics that theatrical performances demand. 

After seeing Solor walk away with Gamzatti, Nikiya refused her friend’s antidote for the poison and collapsed elegantly onto the floor. The lights dimmed briefly as if in mourning. Upon her reappearance on-stage, Nikiya swapped her chiffon gown for a tutu whose embellishments nodded to angel wings, a detail that succinctly conveyed our protagonist was now a spirit in the Kingdom of the Shades.  

Solor and Nikiya performed a brief duet as a series of harp arpeggios played, accentuating Solor’s desperation to rectify his mistake. Dodging her lover’s embrace, Nikiya showed Solor it was too late for him to bring her back. 

Dancers representing spirits then entered, weaving an S-shaped path with thoughtful choreography that incorporated arabesques on either side, demanding flexibility from both legs. The dancers mimicked wing-like movements with arms draped with white, curtain-like scarves. I sat back in my seat during their entrance, enjoying the scene as white tutus filled the stage. There is always something special about watching a large group of performers move as one.

Many features of the performance spoke to the dancers’ professionalism. They continued to dance despite audio mishaps. Maids kept following behind Gamzatti even as her cape became tangled in their hands. 

But the charm of a school performance still stood out, making me smile. The snake venom antidote that Nikiya refused seemed to be in none other than a 50 mL conical Falcon tube from an on-campus research lab. Overcoming technical difficulties and loss of balance during pas de deux numbers, CBC’s “La Bayadere” cast embodied the mantra of countless theater and ballet performers: The show must go on. 

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