WHO ARE THE WILIS? - PART 1
by Rabina Karki for Connecticut Ballet
There is a moment in Act II of Giselle that many audience members quietly hold onto long after the curtain falls. The stage is dark. The forest is still. And from the wings, one by one, they emerge, pale, silent, moving as though the ground beneath them barely exists. The Wilis have arrived.
For those of us who love this ballet, that entrance never loses its power. But who, exactly, are the Wilis? And what does it mean for a dancer to become one?
FROM FOLKLORE TO THE STAGE...
The Wilis did not begin with ballet. They were born from the folk traditions of Central and Eastern Europe, spirits of young women who died before their wedding day, their hearts broken by betrayal or abandonment. In German and Slavic legend, they were said to rise from their graves at midnight, condemned to dance through the night in the forests and meadows where they once lived. Any man who wandered into their path was compelled to join them, and to dance until he could dance no more.
In 1835, the German poet Heinrich Heine described a Slavic legend of young women who appeared at midnight in their bridal dresses, garlands on their heads, unable to rest because even in death their passion for dancing could not be satisfied. A French writer named Théophile Gautier read those words and could not let them go. Within a few years, they had become Act II of Giselle.
What the Romantic era understood, and what still holds, is that the Wilis are not simply frightening. They are heartbroken. What you see as vengeance was once devotion. The Wilis did not stop loving. They simply had nowhere left to put it. That contradiction is what makes them so unforgettable.
Come back next Monday for PART 2 of WHO ARE THE WILIS?
Photo: Carla Stallings, former American Ballet Theatre soloist, dancing the role of Myrtha (1982).
Connecticut Ballet presents GISELLE
featuring Philadelphia Ballet Principal Dancers Oksana Maslova & Sterling Baca
Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm at The Bushnell
Tickets: Bushnell.org
Connecticut Ballet closes its 45th season with a revival of ballet's greatest tragic love story: the romantic tragedy, GISELLE. Set to the famous score by Adolphe Adam, the lead role of Giselle is considered one of the most dramatic in all of ballet.
A Romantic Era masterpiece, Giselle tells the story of a young woman seduced and betrayed by a nobleman. Dying of a broken heart, she joins the ranks of the supernatural Wilis—a sisterhood of female spirits scorned before their wedding day and doomed to rise from the grave, taking their revenge for eternity. Since its premiere in 1841, Giselle continues to enthrall audiences today, 185 years after its premiere, where it rightly stands as one of the most popular ballets of all time.
Meet the leads of Connecticut Ballet's GISELLE
Saturday, June 13 at 7:30pm at The Palace/Stamford - PalaceStamford.org
Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm at The Bushnell - Bushnell.org
STERLING BACA (Albrecht)
Sterling Baca began his training at age 11 at the Academy of Colorado Ballet and later with world-renowned instructor German Zamuel. He then studied with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), at first attending five of their summer intensive programs (as a National Training and Bender Foundation Scholar) and later in their elite pre-professional program at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School with full scholarship.
Sterling joined Philadelphia Ballet, formerly Pennsylvania Ballet, as a Principal Dancer for our 2016/2017 Season. He has tackled featured and principal roles in a varied repertoire that includes full-length ballets such as Ben Stevenson’s "Cinderella" (Prince); Angel Corella’s "Le Corsaire" (Conrad), "Swan Lake" (Prince), and "The Sleeping Beauty" (Prince Desire); and Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s "Romeo & Juliet" (Romeo). He has also performed in contemporary works like Brian Sanders’ "Chicken Bone Brain," or a more classical approach such as in George Balanchine’s "Theme and Variations," "Apollo and Jewels" (Diamonds).
Prior to joining Philadelphia Ballet, Sterling danced with American Ballet Theatre, where he began in 2010 as a member of their second company. He was invited to join the main company as an apprentice in May 2011 and soon after promoted to the corps de ballet in December of that same year. This marks his debut with Connecticut Ballet.
TICKETS & INFORMATION: ConnecticutBallet.org
CONNECTICUT BALLET PRESENTS: FAMILY MATINEE AT THE BALLET
SATURDAY JUNE 20 at 2pm
The Belding Theatre at The Bushnell
Family Matinee at the Ballet is a perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the magical world of professional ballet. Narrated by Artistic Director Brett Raphael and patterned after Leonard Bernstein’s famous New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts in the 1960s, the performance will focus on the unique life of a professional ballet dancer and sample some of the great story ballets.
Company soloists will showcase famous ballets which they love and explain what some of the unique challenges are for their characters. Audiences will see segments from "Swan Lake," "The Sleeping Beauty," "Giselle," "Adventures of Tom Sawyer:, and finish with a company favorite, "Goose Pimples," to New Orleans-style jazz by Bix Beiderbecke. Mr. Raphael and his dancers will take questions from the audience followed by a meet-and-greet opportunity in the theater lobby!
The 75-minute program is suitable for children ages 4-12. Tickets: Bushnell.org
Connecticut Ballet presents GISELLE
featuring Philadelphia Ballet Principal Dancers Oksana Maslova & Sterling Baca
Saturday, June 13 at 7:30pm
The Palace Theatre/Stamford. Tickets: PalaceStamford.org
Connecticut Ballet closes its 45th season with a revival of ballet's greatest tragic love story: the romantic tragedy, GISELLE. Set to the famous score by Adolphe Adam, the lead role of Giselle is considered one of the most dramatic in all of ballet.
A Romantic Era masterpiece, Giselle tells the story of a young woman seduced and betrayed by a nobleman. Dying of a broken heart, she joins the ranks of the supernatural Wilis—a sisterhood of female spirits scorned before their wedding day and doomed to rise from the grave, taking their revenge for eternity. Since its premiere in 1841, Giselle continues to enthrall audiences today, 185 years after its premiere, where it rightly stands as one of the most popular ballets of all time.
CONNECTICUT BALLET PRESENTS: FAMILY MATINEE AT THE BALLET
SATURDAY JUNE 20 at 2pm
The Belding Theatre at The Bushnell
Family Matinee at the Ballet is a perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the magical world of professional ballet. Narrated by Artistic Director Brett Raphael and patterned after Leonard Bernstein’s famous New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts in the 1960s, the performance will focus on the unique life of a professional ballet dancer and sample some of the great story ballets.
Company soloists will showcase famous ballets which they love and explain what some of the unique challenges are for their characters. Audiences will see segments from "Swan Lake," "The Sleeping Beauty," "Giselle," "Adventures of Tom Sawyer:, and finish with a company favorite, "Goose Pimples," to New Orleans-style jazz by Bix Beiderbecke. Mr. Raphael and his dancers will take questions from the audience followed by a meet-and-greet opportunity in the theater lobby!
The 75-minute program is suitable for children ages 4-12. Tickets: Bushnell.org
Connecticut Ballet presents GISELLE
Don't miss ballet's greatest tragic love story featuring acclaimed Philadelphia Ballet Principal Dancers Oksana Maslova and Sterling Baca!
Two performances:
Saturday, June 13 at 7:30pm/Palace Theatre in Stamford - PalaceStamford.org
Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm/The Bushnell - Bushnell.org
About GISELLE: A Romantic Era masterpiece, Giselle tells the story of a young woman seduced and betrayed by a nobleman. Dying of a broken heart, she joins the ranks of the supernatural Wilis—a sisterhood of female spirits scorned before their wedding day and doomed to rise from the grave, taking their revenge for eternity. Since its premiere in 1841, GISELLE continues to enthrall audiences today, 185 years after its premiere, where it rightly stands as one of the most popular ballets of all time.
Meet the leads of Connecticut Ballet's GISELLE
Saturday, June 13 at 7:30pm at The Palace/Stamford - PalaceStamford.org
Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm at The Bushnell - Bushnell.org
OKSANA MASLOVA (Giselle)
After working with Kiev Youth Ballet, Oksana was a member of Suziriya Dance Theater, and in 2004, she became a member of the Odessa National Opera House, where she rose to the rank of soloist and performed a variety of principal roles. In 2008, she joined Grand Rapids Ballet as a principal dancer, performing their entire classical repertoire. In June 2011, she (and her husband, Anton Kandaurov) joined Connecticut Ballet as a principal dancer, where she danced in "Cinderella," "Giselle," "Sleeping Beauty," "The Nutcracker," and. created the role of Alice in Brett Raphael’s "Alice in Wonderland."
Oksana joined Philadelphia Ballet as a soloist for the 2014/2015 Season. She has since danced featured roles in Christopher Wheeldon’s "Polyphonia," as well as the role of Odile/Odette in Christopher Wheeldon’s "Swan Lake." In 2016, Oksana was promoted to principal dancer and has continued to perform a mixed repertoire of classical, modern, and full-length works.
TICKETS & INFORMATION: ConnecticutBallet.org
Connecticut Ballet presents GISELLE
Don't miss ballet's greatest tragic love story featuring acclaimed Philadelphia Ballet Principal Dancers Oksana Maslova and Sterling Baca!
Two performances:
Saturday, June 13 at 7:30pm/Palace Theatre in Stamford - PalaceStamford.org
Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm/The Bushnell - Bushnell.org
About GISELLE: A Romantic Era masterpiece, Giselle tells the story of a young woman seduced and betrayed by a nobleman. Dying of a broken heart, she joins the ranks of the supernatural Wilis—a sisterhood of female spirits scorned before their wedding day and doomed to rise from the grave, taking their revenge for eternity. Since its premiere in 1841, GISELLE continues to enthrall audiences today, 185 years after its premiere, where it rightly stands as one of the most popular ballets of all time.
CONNECTICUT BALLET PRESENTS: FAMILY MATINEE AT THE BALLET
SATURDAY JUNE 20 at 2pm
The Belding Theatre at The Bushnell
Family Matinee at the Ballet is a perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the magical world of professional ballet. Narrated by Artistic Director Brett Raphael and patterned after Leonard Bernstein’s famous New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts in the 1960s, the performance will focus on the unique life of a professional ballet dancer and sample some of the great story ballets.
Company soloists will showcase famous ballets which they love and explain what some of the unique challenges are for their characters. Audiences will see segments from "Swan Lake," "The Sleeping Beauty," "Giselle," "Adventures of Tom Sawyer:, and finish with a company favorite, "Goose Pimples," to New Orleans-style jazz by Bix Beiderbecke. Mr. Raphael and his dancers will take questions from the audience followed by a meet-and-greet opportunity in the theater lobby!
The 75-minute program is suitable for children ages 4-12. Tickets: Bushnell.org
Romantic ballet in action: White Swan Pas de Deux (Ava Prentice & Alex Marmolejos), part of today's BE MY VALENTINE 2026 show. Tickets still available at the door ($40) for today's 3:00pm show in downtown Stamford. Nibbles, wine and water to follow.
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Photo: Kimberly Levesque
TOMORROW IN STAMFORD! Get your tickets today for an afternoon of passionate dance. After-party featuring wine, bites and special guests BackCountry Jazz. Tickets on sale now for Sunday, February 15 at 3pm at Unitarian Universalist Congregation (20 Forest Street, Stamford). ConnecticutBallet.org
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