The annual archipelago-length steamroll tour by New York's famous all-male classic ballet parody troupe, Les Ballets Trocadero de Monte-Carlo, which is in the middle of its 20th visit to these shores right now, has probably stolen some of the limelight from its namesake, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, which is also coming here this month and performing two pieces, "Romeo and Juliet" and "La Belle."
The Trocks' appropriation of "Monte Carlo" isn't a complete fluke. Sergei Diaghilev, the Russian impressario credited with the synthesis of dance, music and art that became a model for a wholly new style of narrative ballet in the 20th century, made a base for his Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo in 1911. Though the current Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo was established in 1985, its lineage can be traced back directly to Diaghilev's ground-breaking troupe through a number of related ballet companies attached to the city.
The current company was established by the Princess of Hanover, who is the daughter of the late Princess Grace of Monaco. At first, the troupe simply carried on the traditions of the Ballets Russes, but in 1993, the 33-year-old choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot became the company's artistic director and has subsequently helped it evolve from a regional company charged with upholding a tradition to a European contender with a unique vision and style.