It is the second time that Manni has worked with Ratmansky as she was one of the Auroras in his The Sleeping Beauty last October.
It is interesting working on this Swan Lake, because with Aurora I was dancing the role for the first time, whereas I have danced Odette/Odile in other versions, so I am learning to see these characters from a different point of view. I think that for the audience the story is easier to follow even though the characters are multi-layered.
Apart from the work we’ve done on the technique, which is different to that we are used to, we have worked a great deal on the interpretation and the pantomime which is often pared down and not used to its full advantage. For us it has been wonderful working on this in detail whereas usually it is a secondary consideration.
It has been a privilege to be working with Alexei whose advice enriches us as artists and has also given us an opportunity of rehearsing in a way that is unusual nowadays. I hope that the audience manages to appreciate this work because for us it’s been indispensable.
(via)