Why an all-male ballet company presents playful choreography en pointe

The all-male ballet company, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, was born of the gay liberation movement that began in the late '60s in New York. "The last real movement was the gay liberation movement," says The Trocks' artistic director Tory Dobrin. There was an explosion of drag, gay, and dance culture in the city during that time explains Dobrin. The Trocks' "were just a bunch of guys who loved ballet, who were also very funny," says the director. The dance company was a way for them to put on a show.

There is a difference between the theatre drag of The Trocks and club drag. "We are men in these costumes doing these steps and not trying to imitate women," says Dobrin, "we are doing it for comedic effect." This has been a challenge for the ballet company since its inception. Dobrin explains that through their performance, The Trocks want to emphasize that they belong in society as they are, echoing the premise of the gay liberation movement.

Dobrin says because drag is now in the mainstream, the company has worked very hard to improve their technical ballet abilities. The show is no longer centred on the gay liberation movement and has more room to explore the nuances of classical dance with a comedic and playful approach.

Find a full listing of The Trocks' upcoming performances here.