Running Time: 10 minutes

Music: Astor Piazolla

       1. Libertango

      2. Soledad

      3. Fuga & Misterioso

Dancer Requirements:

Eight Women and Four Men, including:

Two Female Soloists, One Male Soloist

Six Female Corps, Three Male Corps

Soloist women must have strong pointe work and partnering skills and be comfortable with modern dance movement, including floor work.

Technical Requirements:

Stage Size: 30 x 20 preferred

Crossover needed

Specials downstage right and center

Costumes:

Women: Originally set with Tango Dresses with plunge neckline and diagonal hemline edged with fringe.  Four dresses in one color, Four dresses in a second color.  Pointe shoes for all women, pink tights.

Men: Tall, black flamenco pants, White poet sleeved shirt, Sash, cummerbund or vest to match Women's dresses.  Black jazz shoes.

Owned by: Georgia Youth Ballet

First Movement Pas de Deux

Second Soloist Entrance

Adagio: Pas de Deux & Solo

Final Movement

Final Adagio

Description

La Deseada is a ballet in three movements: Andante, Adagio, and a third movement which begins Allegro and finishes adage.

The choreography incorporates traditional tango movements along with contemporary ballet and some modern dance (especially from Graham syllabus).

In the first movement, each male dancer has two female partners - one in each color.  The partnering is often reminiscent of ballroom tango and truly engages the audience.  There is a section of unison corps work for the women that is very exciting as well.

During the opening, there is a  short pas de deux with the lead soloist is brisk and includes beautiful promenades, pirouettes and is accompanied by the full corps. 

The second soloist has a dramatic entrance with all the corps men partnering her together before she dances with the lead male.

The lead male begins dancing with the lead female, but becomes interested in the second soloist, beginning his conflict and the conflict of the female soloists. 

The adagio includes an emotional pas de deux between the lead male and his first partner, an elegant and painful solo for the lead female and a very passionate pas de deux for the lead male and the second female soloist.  The corps men and women dance during the adagio, as passersby in the background.

The final movement begins with each female soloist dancing alone, then together.  It is quick, demanding pointe work and requires charisma as well as technical proficiency. Three corps women are featured in an energetic trio followed by three couples dashing across the stage in high, traveling lifts and quick promenades at all spatial levels.  Again, there is a great deal of corps dancing for the women.

The finale is a lovely, poignant adage for all four trios onstage.  It has been called "strong and beautiful" by Jane Miller Gifford.

History:

La Deseada was first commissioned by Magdalena Maury's Georgia Youth Ballet in 2002.  It was one of the few pieces selected to premiere with GALA credit at the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association festival in 2003.  It was then awarded Second Place Overall for the SERBA "Project" Choreographic Commission Award among over thirty works performed and over one hundred works adjudicated - and was selected to be performed again later that same year.