Swan Lake

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/swan-lake

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the composer?Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
2. What is the original production premiere?March 4, 1877 (Old Style February 20)
3. What is Swan Lake about?Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried who meets Princess Odette, who is cursed by a sorcerer to turn into a swan by day. His love can break the spell, but the tale also shows the dark mirror of Odile, the Black Swan.
4. Who wrote the music for Swan Lake?The music was written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky between 1875 and 1876, and it became famous for its emotional depth.

Symphonic Ballet: A ballet where the music is as important as the dance, often with a complex orchestral score.
Fouetté Turns: A ballet technique involving a whipping motion of the leg to help turn the dancer rapidly.
Virtuosity: Exceptional technical skill and ability in a particular art form, especially in music or dance.