Mother Buffon
In truth, the role of Mother Buffoon can be a bit perilous. The lower man (the legs) wears heavy protective gloves to push the massive, steel dress frame around the stage. It can also be a somewhat thankless job—not only can the dancer driving the structure not be seen, but he can barely see where the apparatus is from inside the dress. Meanwhile, the top man stands on a platform with his upper body exposed. He wears a giant wig, bold makeup, and fans himself while flirting with the audience—the artistic freedom given to this role makes it one of the most sought-after in the production.
There is no shortage of chatter under the skirt, Former Demi-Soloist Trevor Naumann explained to Pointe Magazine. . “Sometimes the buffoons’ tiny hands dart out to pinch and tickle both company dancers’ legs.” Distractions or not, he said, “I love doing that part. You get done early, and people love you.”
When Artistic Director Adam Sklute updated the production in 2017, he re-envisioned the buffoons’ jester-like costumes as adorable little bees. Not only was this in the original 1892 Russian production, but it was also a concept that Mr. C wanted to adopt when he brought the production to Utah—the Beehive State. It was actually Bené Arnold who first recommended this update to Adam.
Mother Buffon
In truth, the role of Mother Buffoon can be a bit perilous. The lower man (the legs) wears heavy protective gloves to push the massive, steel dress frame around the stage. It can also be a somewhat thankless job—not only can the dancer driving the structure not be seen, but he can barely see where the apparatus is from inside the dress. Meanwhile, the top man stands on a platform with his upper body exposed. He wears a giant wig, bold makeup, and fans himself while flirting with the audience—the artistic freedom given to this role makes it one of the most sought-after in the production.
There is no shortage of chatter under the skirt, Former Demi-Soloist Trevor Naumann explained to Pointe Magazine. . “Sometimes the buffoons’ tiny hands dart out to pinch and tickle both company dancers’ legs.” Distractions or not, he said, “I love doing that part. You get done early, and people love you.”
When Artistic Director Adam Sklute updated the production in 2017, he re-envisioned the buffoons’ jester-like costumes as adorable little bees. Not only was this in the original 1892 Russian production, but it was also a concept that Mr. C wanted to adopt when he brought the production to Utah—the Beehive State. It was actually Bené Arnold who first recommended this update to Adam.
