Mid-Week Intermission Artist Edition: Les Ballets Trockadero
Sophistication, skill, and satire – these are just a few of the many words one could use to describe the gender-skewing, globe-spanning phenomenon, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. This all-male ballet troupe founded in 1974 has turned the ballet world upside down, merging slapstick humor with expert pointe. Whether you’re a well-versed aficionado or you’re just a big fan of wigs, it’s hard not to love The Trocks.
With no women in the troupe, these ballerinas stay busy. Each artist in the Trocks portrays two personas (one female and one male), who dance the roles in each performance.
And we’re beyond excited to have them at the LC, just in time to help close out Pride Month! We caught up with Shohei Iwahama (AKA Anya Marx and Chip Pididouda), a third year Trock, to learn what it’s like to be a member of the silliest, sassiest, most unique ballet troupe in the world.
Long Center: Welcome to Mid-Week Intermission! We usually like to ask folks for a song to go with their interview – anything come to mind? Is there a song that gets you in the zone to go on stage?
Shohei Iwahama: I don’t usually listen to music before getting on stage, but I often listen to the Disneyland theme park soundtrack when working out. The Space Mountain soundtrack (Anaheim Disneyland version) is especially exciting and perfect for hyping yourself up before a workout!
LC:Tell us about yourself! What’s your dance background, and how did you find yourself becoming one of The Trocks?
Shohei Iwahama: My early dance background was actually in modern and contemporary dance. Ballet was something I took as part of my training, but for a long time, I never considered myself a “ballet dancer.” That began to shift after college, when I started working with more ballet-based companies and choreographers. My focus gradually transitioned from modern/contemporary to contemporary ballet, and eventually to classical ballet, especially after I joined the Trocks.
Still, I’ve always loved ballet, both taking classes and watching it, for many years. Back in college, around 2009, I discovered videos of the Trocks on YouTube and was instantly hooked! I saw them live in 2013 when they came to Houston. From that point on, the idea of auditioning for the Trocks stayed in my mind (or stayed in my dance bag I would say…) It was kind of like “Wouldn’t it be so cool if I got to do that someday?”
Fast forward to 2021, during my final year of grad school, working toward my MFA in Dance, I saw an audition notice on the Trocks’ Instagram page and decided to take a chance. I flew from Texas to New York City to audition in December 2021. The next thing I knew, I was touring with the company just two weeks after graduating!
LC: For those who might not be familiar, how would you sum up The Trocks in a few words?
Shohei Iwahama: Classical ballet is already fun, but the Trocks will give you more reasons to enjoy ballet!
LC: This troupe just celebrated its 50th anniversary. What does it mean to you to be part of a company that has such a legacy, and witnessed so much cultural evolution?
Shohei Iwahama: It has been an honor to be part of this company, especially during such an important year. Having watched so many Trocks videos from the 1990s and 2000s, it still feels surreal to realize that I’m now part of this family. Although it’s still not considered the “norm” for male dancers to perform in pointe shoes, it has become much more accepted for boys and men to train en pointe—thanks to the trailblazing work of former Trocks and what they’ve accomplished in the ballet world.
LC: Do you have a favorite ballet to perform or character to play? Which parts bring you alive on stage?
Shohei Iwahama: My favorite role is the iconic Joke Swan in Swan Lake, which I’ve had the joy of performing consistently for the past two years. This one swan in the corps has many special moments throughout the ballet. As someone with a comedic spirit, this role really helped me grow as a Trock. I also love dancing in romantic-style ballets. Giselle in Giselle and Carlotta Grisi in Grand Pas de Quatre are two of my other favorite roles to perform.
LC: How do you find the balance between exhibiting both grace and gags within one pirouette?
Shohei Iwahama: I’ve never really thought about how I balance grace and gags. I just focus on the character I’m portraying, and that usually guides me. Also, grace and gags aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
LC: Obviously, this is no ordinary dance troupe. What’s your favorite thing about being part of a company that’s so different from a standard ballet company?
Shohei Iwahama: One of my favorite things about this company is that we’re like a family. Unlike traditional ballet companies, there are only 14–16 of us dancing and touring the world together (and about 20 of us, including our amazing production team!). We come from all over the world, such as Japan, Spain, Italy, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, and our home base, the USA. We get to share such special moments both on and off stage.
LC: We can’t wait to see the Trocks at the LC on June 29. Is there anything about the show you’d like to tease to our readers?
Shohei Iwahama: In addition to the Trocks’ signature ballets like Swan Lake Act II, we’ll be premiering a new contemporary ballet piece on this tour. We can’t wait to share it with audiences in Texas, which I consider my home in the US!
Thanks, Shohei!
Grab your tickets to see Les Ballets Trockadero at the LC this Sunday!
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
