WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Ballet Palm Beach will bring one of the world’s most beloved ballets, "Giselle" to the Kravis Center stage on Thursday, May 16, with performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The production adds a uniquely rare twist, two live borzoi dogs, “Vadmin” and “Pumpkin,” continuing a historic detail from 19th-century performances.
Founding artistic and executive director Colleen Smith told WPTV the tradition comes from a hunting scene in the original production, where Russian wolfhounds made a brief but memorable appearance.
The romantic-era masterpiece, which debuted in Paris in 1841, is admired for its haunting “Wilis” motif, credited as the origin of the iconic ballerina in a white tutu. The storyline blends love, betrayal, loss, and supernatural redemption, with seamless mime work and dramatic staging that helped redefine ballet for generations.
Why this matters now
The Kravis performances mark Ballet Palm Beach’s largest main-stage production of the season. As arts organizations continue recovering from pandemic-era disruptions, staging a grand-scale classic like "Giselle" with live animals spotlights community investment in local culture and offers residents a chance to experience a world-class performance close to home.
Audience members can expect vivid costuming, emotional storytelling, and technically challenging choreography, making it an ideal entry point for anyone new to ballet. Students in the company’s academy, alongside seasoned professionals, will share the stage in a high-energy fusion of tradition and youthful artistry.
Tickets for "Giselle" are available through the Kravis Center box office at kravis.org.
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