A Nomad guide to the ballet!
PUBLISHED February 5th, 2013 12:10 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 03:23 pm
As you may, or may not be aware, Singapore has its very own professional ballet company – the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT).  What’s more, 2013 sees Singapore Dance Theatre’s 25th (yes 25th!!!! – they’ve been around that long!) anniversary. So, it’s time to celebrate SDT’s achievements over the years. More importantly, for those of you who did not even know that Singapore had a ballet troupe, it’s time to return to Earth and wake up!
And here’s why:
It’s going to be a bumper year for the SDT. They have put together a cracking programme with something for everyone. If you are a newbie to ballet, then this is the year to take a plunge and learn more about the SDT and see the dancers in action! Expect well established favourites: the charming, funny and witty Coppélia, the beautiful and haunting masterpiece that is Giselle and the evergreen, all-time Christmas favourite, The Nutcracker – three full-length ballets, complete with costumes, scenery, fabulous music, all the bells and whistles, in fact.
These will sit alongside new works from talented choreographers Natalie Weir, Edwaard Liang and Christina Chan. The season will also see SDT working with Kinsun Chan, a rising star of a choreographer in Europe, as well as local talents Jereh Leong and Max Chen and the aforementioned Christina Chan.
But to truly understand and appreciate ballet, and all these wonderful delights that await you this year, it is important to learn about all the incredible work and expense that goes into putting on a ballet production. So next time you find yourself wondering why should you pay “X” for a ballet ticket – aside from the fact that to watch a ballet is a truly magical, captivating experience – take a moment to stop and think about some of the insights we’re about to give you below. And who better to give these insights, than SDT’s very own Artistic Director, Janek Schergen?
What makes ballet different from other styles of dance, what makes it so special?
Ballet is a general term that is used to describe a wide range of works from full-length story ballets to newly created contemporary pieces. Ballet/Dance is a form of language using movements not words to compose phrases and how formally it is applied loosely defines what the general perception of ballet is.
How much does it cost to put a ballet on? What are the costs that get covered in a ticket?
There are license fees, which are for the re-staging of established works, or for the creation of a new piece, with a fee for the choreographer, music royalties, costume design and construction. A short work can cost $50,000 plus or minus. An established work can cost anything in the region of $250,000 to $400,000.
What are all the different elements that make up a ballet?
Choreographic creation, choice of music and set/costume and lighting designer. These elements combine for a success work. The choice of cast is essential to the production of a new ballet.
How long does it take to prepare for a staging of a ballet?
The general ‘Rule of Thumb’ is two hours of rehearsal in the studio to finished minute of ballet onstage. A 30 minute ballet needs 60 hours of presentation in rehearsal.
How many people in total are on average involved in putting on a production from start to finish?
A choreographer works one on one with the dancers, with rehearsal staff present to learn the details of the ballet as well. The design team enters the project midway through to consult with the choreographer’s ideas and intentions.
Are all the ballet productions of the well-known ballets e.g. Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty etc. more or less the same?
Not at all! Each production has its own personality depending on the person who stages the work, their experience with the particular work and the associated design team.
Who makes Singapore Dance Theatre’s costumes? How long do they take?
We have various people we go to both locally and outside Singapore to realize the costume designer’s ideas. Complexity in design is always the question but 6 – 9 months prep time to full realization is normal.
How many ballet shoes does Singapore Dance Theatre go through in one year? And how much does one pair of shoes cost?
Each female dancer gets 55 pairs of pointe shoes a year and we have 22 female dancers. The men get half that amount of ballet shoes. Pointe shoes are $60 – $100; ballet shoes are $30 plus or minus.
How long does it take to make each tutu and what is the cost per tutu?
About 20 hours of construction and $1000 each.
Who makes the scenery for Singapore Dances Theatre’s  productions? How is it made?
Again, much like for costumes, but for painted scenery, we work with an excellent company in Melbourne, Australia that specializes in painted artwork of scenery in large scale.
Whew! Staging a ballet is quite an undertaking and don’t forget the years of training that each professional dancer has to go through!
If you want to find out more about the behind-the-scenes workings of a ballet, do check out Singapore Dance Theatre’s One @ The Ballet series on Saturday afternoons. The series gives fascinating insights into different aspects of ballet. PLUS there’s a chance to catch snippets of performances up close for only $10! The next one in the series is Costumes for Dance which will be held on 16th February (for more info see here) or stay tuned to our listings for future dates.
Tickets for Coppélia, which will be staged at the Esplanade Theatre from 14th to 17th March are on sale via SISTIC but stay tuned to citynomads.com for the launch of the Nomad card for a special discount on tickets.
Written by Ms Demeanour and Ms Culture Vulture
Pictures courtesy of Singapore Dance Theatre
