Capturing Giselle Rehearsal with Elinor Fucile
- Cindy Case
- Oct 6
- 4 min read
As rehearsals continue for our upcoming performances of Giselle on October 17-19, we are beginning to see the full shape of the ballet emerge. One of our more recent blog posts delved into the history, story, and notable moments in Giselle, but there's no substitute for watching the ballet come together right before your eyes.
Corps de ballet member Elinor Fucile is an avid photographer, and she recently captured behind-the-scenes images of our rehearsal process. Follow along for a sneak peek into the show and look into Elinor's approach as a budding dance photographer.
Seeing Ballet Through the Lens
Elinor joined the company last season after training at the ABT Gillespie school, the English National Ballet, and Philadelphia Ballet. The art of dance has been part of her life for a long time, but so has photography.
She explains, "My grandpa was a professional photographer for sports and performance, so I have been surrounded by it since I could remember! I think he is what initially sparked my interest."
This is Elinor's first time performing in Giselle, and it's proven to be an exciting opportunity for her. When she's not dancing as a villager or a wili, she's been picking up her camera:
"Giselle has been absolutely incredible to capture. The story is so dramatic, and the dancers are doing such a beautiful job with their acting that taking pictures of everyone has been a breeze. Giselle is so endearing and heartbreaking to watch as an audience member, and it has been so amazing being able to catch some of those moments through my camera."
Each of those moments serves as a wonderful snapshot into each twist and turn of the story of Giselle.
Telling a Story Through Movement
Although we often emphasize the dance sequences in Giselle, a critical part of the ballet is the storytelling that occurs through acting and balletic pantomime. To understand everything the characters are going through, we have to be able to understand each step of their journey.
Elinor's images capture significant moments for the characters. At the beginning of the ballet, shown above with Alexander Collen and Lauren Martinez, Giselle and Albrecht play a game of "He loves me, he loves me not." Although it is a sweet moment that reflects their budding love, Giselle is upset when the flower petals land on "he loves me not." Albrecht sneakily plucks a petal and insists that she must have miscounted.
This image of plucking flowers returns at the end of the act, when Giselle has found out that Albrecht is not who he says he is. In what is known as the "Mad Scene," a distraught Giselle returns to her game of "He loves me, he loves me not." As the photo below of Victoria Sanzotera shows, the game has gone from a moment of play to full betrayal.
Heartbroken, Giselle grabs Albrecht's sword. She has become a danger to herself and others, and Albrecht has to wrestle the sword away from her.
In Elinor's photo, below, you'll notice that everyone in the scene is invested in the action. When the entire ensemble and all the principal characters commit to the story they're telling, it goes a long way to making it feel real.
At the end of the scene, Giselle's anguish is so complete that her heart gives out. As the villagers shun Albrecht, Giselle's mother cradles her daughter one last time. Below, Catherine Welch portrays the tragedy of this moment.
Behind the lens, Elinor has chosen to highlight the contrast between the love and sorrow of Giselle's mother in the foreground with the villagers' refusal to acknowledge Albrecht in the background.
Capturing moments on and off the dance floor
There's significance to these big moments in the story, but Elinor is equally interested in what goes on when the dancers are on the sides or in the back of the room.
Elinor's photos capture these intimate, human moments. Although the dancers are excited to bring our dancing and acting to audiences in a few short weeks, the images Elinor captured on the sides are familiar, comfortable moments that dancers around the world would identify with.
Elinor says, "I am so grateful to be able to dance every day and be surrounded by so many amazing artists, and I think my photography is an extension of that love. It is so fulfilling for me to capture a funny rehearsal moment or a friend dancing. I always think that ballet is one of the most beautiful art forms to consume, so I think taking pictures of it helps make it more accessible. I’ve always admired dance photographers who catch that perfect moment of a pose, but I have been really enjoying capturing the more messy bits as well!"
Whether she's capturing dancers on or off the dance floor, Elinor's photos embody this realistic, human take on dance. Each image is a moment that brought us one step closer to bringing Giselle to the stage!
Ready for the mainstage production? Join us at Maryland Hall on October 17-19 for this haunting production of Giselle! Tickets are on sale now.
All rehearsal photos by Elinor Fucile