Romeo and Juliet Ballet

I chose this ballet to evaluate on as an interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, not only because I am so interested in dance, but also because I felt like this was a unique take on how the play can be interpreted and performed.  I was also particularly interested in this type of media because, although it is clearly set after Shakespeare's play, NONE of his dialogue ever is said!  I searched all over youtube for different videos of ballet scenes from different dancers and directors, and this one was my favorite.  The Juliet is very fluid in her movements, while the Romeo moves with a kind of wind-like force.  There are no words in this scene, but you can clearly see the two characters are falling in love, literally and physically, as they fall back and forth into each others arms and fly around the stage.  You can tell they are going through some kind of pain as they continue through the scene, because the actors faces at certain points seem filled with shock and anxiety.  Juliet teases Romeo as she would with her words in the play, by running away from him and then running back.  As they reach for each other over the balcony, separated by the height, you can see that they have many obstacles to overcome in order to be together.

I found this to be a beautiful and imaginative way to portray Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  Rather than the use of Shakespeare's witty dialogue as the base of the play, all acting must be performed through the body.  It is an interesting take on how a story can be read.

Romeo and Juliet in-class writing

I chose lines 55-67 in Capulet's orchard where the nurse comes back after visiting Romeo. Juliet is waiting for her to come back from Friar Laurence's cell with news, but she is too, "out of breath," to tell her right away. This scene seems to be like a comedy because Juliet keeps prodding her to simply answer her question, and the nurse takes the entire scene to finally tell her what they told her.
In line's 55 through 57,
JULIET I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. 55
Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?
Nurse Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a
courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I
warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother?
JULIET Where is my mother! why, she is within; 60
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!
'Your love says, like an honest gentleman,
Where is your mother?'
Nurse O God's lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow; 65
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.

I was particularly interested in this passage because it is so funny! Juliet's impatience has shown throughout the past lines, but I think she knows the nurse well enough to know that getting angry will only prolong the wait. Instead, Juliet chooses to encouraging language to persuade her, "I'faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?" When the nurse is finally about to answer her question, going on and on about how nicely he said it, she gets distracted by her own running thoughts, asking, "Where is your mother?" Shakespeare seems to be teasing Juliet in this passage through the character of the nurse.