La Sylphide Comes to Life
Updated: 2 days ago
The BTM premiere of La Sylphide is in less than two weeks! We've loved delving into the intricacies of the Bournonville style, and we can't wait to share his choreography with our audience very soon.
The dancing in La Sylphide is fun to watch because it's fun to do, but one of the most interesting things about this production is just how much the dancing and pantomime work together to characterize each part. Whether dancing or "speaking" through mime, the way the characters express themselves through movement helps to show who they are, what they're thinking, and how they're feeling.
For this reason, it's worth learning a bit more about each role! If you're curious to read about the story and history of La Sylphide, visit our most recent blog post. But today, let's take a look at the different characters you'll meet throughout the show.
The Sylph
Captivating and beguiling, the Sylph is a mischievous spirit of the forest. It's unclear how old she is or how she and the other sylphs came to be, but she tells James that she first spotted him years before when he was hunting in the forest. She watches over him in secret for a long time, finally sneaking into his home just before his wedding. Impulsively, she kisses James. Doing so not only reveals her existence, but also her feelings for him.
Her mood is somewhat mercurial, switching from sadness to glee more quickly than her human counterparts, but the Sylph is a happy creature at heart. She is delighted to welcome James into her forest home, though she quickly grows concerned that her airy lifestyle will not suit her mortal beloved.
As a fairy, the Sylph possesses certain magical powers: the ability to fly, send dreams of herself into James's head, and even influence his movements onstage. At times, he seems to feel her touch even though she cannot physically touch him. It is both her supernatural abilities and her charisma that inspire James to follow her into the forest.
James
James is a well-off young Scotsman whose farmhouse sets the stage for Act I. He is preparing to get married, but the Sylph's appearance makes him question that commitment. However eager he may have been to marry Effy before the ballet begins, he quickly becomes preoccupied by the fantasy the Sylph represents.
He's increasingly distracted throughout the wedding preparations, and perhaps that's why he is so quick to anger when he discovers that the witch, Madge, is warming her hands by the fire. Furious from her fortune-telling, James throws Madge out of the house.
It becomes too much. The strange events of the day--the Sylph's visits, his rival's obvious interest in his fiancee, and the witch's fortunes--all collude to make James feel unsettled in his own home. When the Sylph invites him to follow her out into the night, James embraces the adventure.
He's enchanted to discover the many sylphs that live in the forest, but remains frustrated that the Sylph is too airy to hold onto. When Madge offers him what seems like a possible solution, James seems to forget that the two of them parted on poor terms.
Madge
Madge is a woman of mystery. She is perceptive of those around her, a skill she takes advantage of in addition to her magical gifts. Does her fortune-telling rely on human intuition or supernatural talents? It's hard to say, but she is quick to note the rivalry between James and Gurn.
Effy, Gurn, and the Sylph all became pawns in her game of revenge against James. By orchestrating Effy and Gurn's engagement, she ensures that there is nothing James can go home to.
One element of her revenge does rely on her magical powers: the wicked scarf she pulls out of her cauldron. She gifts it to the unwitting James, who thinks that wrapping it around the Sylph will make it so the two of them can be together.
Is causing the Sylph's death a disproportionate response to James throwing her out of his house? Perhaps. But Madge seems to have no problem with that.
Gurn
Only some sources describe Gurn as James's cousin, but they all characterize him as his rival. Gurn covets everything that James seems to take for granted, especially James's fiancée, Effy. At the start of the ballet, Gurn admits to the audience through ballet pantomime that he longs for Effy, and shows her how he feels by offering her a bouquet. Effy brushes him off, but Gurn is undaunted.
Later on, Gurn ends up at the center of Madge's fortune-telling. She has just told Effy that she won't marry James when Gurn screws up his courage and offers the witch his palm.
Madge perks up. She tells him that he will be happy and successful, and then points across the room to Effy: "With her."
The wedding guests are scandalized, and this is when James throws Madge out of his house. But it planted a seed in Gurn's mind.
After James runs away with the Sylph, his friends and family search for him. Gurn finds James's hat. He still craves what James had, and he lets Madge talk him into proposing to Effie. For Gurn and Effy, it's a happily-ever-after ending.
Effy
At the start of the ballet, it should be the happiest day of Effy's life. She is surrounded by people who love her, and is set to wed a successful farmer she loves. However, Effy quickly senses that something is wrong with James. He behaves distantly when she shows him her wedding veil, and wanders off mid-conversation.
James's behavior is particularly erratic from Effy's perspective because Effy never sees the Sylph. As she and James lead an exciting Scottish reel with their guests, James runs to the window for seemingly no reason. When James follows the Sylph into the forest, Effy throws her wedding veil aside and cries.
Effy must notice Gurn's obvious interest in her, but she ignores his advances until it seems that James is lost forever. When Gurn presents himself as a substitute for her missing fiancé, Effy hesitates but agrees. It's up to the audience to decide if she is saving face on her wedding day or if she has secretly harbored feelings for Gurn.
The Corps of Sylphs
Although the corps de ballet of sylphs doesn't advance the plot of La Sylphide, story ballets just wouldn't be the same without a large group of dancers moving in beautiful harmony.
For the entirety of Act I, the lead Sylph is alone among a cast of human characters. After she brings James back to her forest in Act II, there's a magical moment where she calls all of her fellow sylphs to join her, and James is suddenly surrounded by these playful supernatural creatures.
One vital role of the corps de ballet is to echo the emotions portrayed throughout the story. In Act II, you'll see the sylphs move in a dreamy, hypnotic fashion when they first surround James in the forest glade. After he and the lead Sylph share dances back and forth, the sylphs join them for a moment of joyful movement.
This way of expressing the scene's emotion continues when James wraps the lead Sylph in the scarf and she loses her wings. For all their earlier playfulness, the sylphs have a clear sense of sisterhood. They gather around the lead Sylph to show their grief and carry their fallen sister away.
It's a tragic ending for a ballet with so many uplifting moments, but that creates a satisfying conclusion for the themes of rivalry and revenge that thread through La Sylphide. Alongside these uglier themes, there's something beautiful about how the sylphs show true sadness over losing the lead Sylph. Like Giselle, Swan Lake, and other tragic ballets, seeing where the story ends can make the journey even more meaningful.
We hope that you'll enjoy the journey of La Sylphide just as much as we have. You can catch all of these characters in our company premiere of La Sylphide on October 16-18!
La Sylphide
Maryland Hall in Annapolis, MD
Friday, October 16, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Visit our La Sylphide page for tickets and more information!
