For me, these two fragments give a little sense of what the Ballets Russes Cubist work, ‘Parade’, was actually like.

From one-act scenario by Jean Cocteau and with music from Erik Satie, the ballet premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 18th May 1917.

The costumes and sets were designed by Pablo Picasso and the choreography set by Léonide Massine, who danced the Chinese magician. The construction of this character is a stereotyping bordering on what these days we would see as racism, but this was the first quarter of the C20.

I love that the springy rhythms of the music are so perfectly realised in choreography, and here so well executed by Gary Chryst, the Chinese magician in this performance.

Enjoy!