Chloe Misseldine Reflects on Guesting With State Ballet of Georgia
In late August and early September, the State Ballet of Georgia toured its full-length production of Swan Lake to the London Coliseum. Led by artistic director Nina Ananiashvili, a former Bolshoi and American Ballet Theatre principal, the 175-year-old company was making a historic London debut.
To mark the occasion, Ananiashvili invited a few special guest artists, including Chloe Misseldine, ABT’s young, new principal dancer, who starred as Odette/Odile in two of the London performances. For Misseldine, who had been promoted onstage at the Metropolitan Opera House following her New York City debut of Swan Lake in July, the ballet holds a special place in her heart. “Swan Lake is one of my favorite ballets,” she says. “Being able to perform it and embody the characters of Odette and Odile is just so special to me.”
The collaboration came about when Ananiashvili sent a WhatsApp message to ABT artistic director Susan Jaffe. “When Nina reached out to me to invite Chloe to dance with the company, I was surprised because at that point Chloe had only done one show of Swan Lake,” says Jaffe, who had danced with Ananiashvili at ABT and came to London to support both Misseldine and her former colleague. “I thought, ‘Wow! Word travels fast!’ ”
During her debut performance with the company on August 29, Misseldine exhibited impeccable technique, with beautiful lines, a seamless movement quality, and a strong artistic presence. At the end of Act II, when Von Rothbart commanded Misseldine’s Odette to return to him, ripping her away from Siegfried, she seemed as if she’d really fallen under his spell as she left the stage, with the pain of separation etched on her face.
“It definitely took a lot of work,” says Misseldine on the process of becoming Odette/Odile. While Odette comes more naturally to her, it takes more time for the character and nuances of the Black Swan to settle into her body.
“I feel the artistry of the ballet is just as important as the technique,” she says. “The audience often forgets about the small technical mistakes that you make, but they remember what story you told and how you left them feeling. When I get out onstage and into the music, it comes together for me naturally; I get sucked in.”
To help her prepare, Ananiashvili sent a video of the State Ballet of Georgia’s production so Misseldine could learn the choreography. “Luckily everything was basically the same, and Nina was happy with me doing my version of the variation and pas de deux,” says Misseldine. “We kept it very simple because I didn’t have my partner or Von Rothbart until I arrived in London. It was a crash course, but once I arrived, I had plenty of time with them and Nina.”
She adds that the State Ballet of Georgia’s dancers were kind and welcoming. “They were very helpful, especially in the fourth act,” she says. “In ABT’s version, Siegfried and Odette are mostly separate from the corps, while in this version you’re fully connected. They kept reassuring me, telling me that everything was going to be fine and that they had my back as I navigated the new choreography.”
The day of her first show was Misseldine’s first opportunity to work with the corps de ballet in the second act. “I didn’t know which way the weaving went or where to go, so it really kept me on my toes,” laughs Misseldine.
Misseldine met her partner, Michal Krčmář, on the Monday of show week, so they had three days to come up with a version that was comfortable for them. “We’d never really spoken about what we wanted to do, but he’s a great partner and a seasoned dancer, so I wasn’t worried about anything. We connected instantly and it worked.”
She was also able to rehearse with Ananiashvili, who gave a lot of input into the variations, particularly the Black Swan. “Nina has a phenomenal jump and was giving me so many pointers,” says Misseldine. “I made sure to take in everything that she was telling me.”
For both the State Ballet of Georgia and ABT, this guesting was deemed a great success. “Nina and I have started having some conversations about future galas and things like that,” says Jaffe, “so that should be exciting!”
“I am so grateful to Nina for giving me this opportunity and trusting me to lead her company for a few performances,” says Misseldine. “I’ve learned so much, and I will take that with me throughout the rest of my career.”
