5 Ballerinas was originally commissioned during Covid 19 for Nærme, the first live-streamed event Norwegian National Ballet co-produced, together with Einar Film.

Originally commissioned for Norwegian National Ballet’s Baroque Movements program in 2019, Bout of the Imperfect Pearl explores the duality of a woman's recovery process after being intimately betrayed. Vivaldi’s music is at the heart of the piece, with soundscapes by Jon Balke connecting the four separate classical pieces. The piece unfolds into an abstract story of a woman going through different inner stages of recovering and moving on in her life.

Set to violin concertos of Heinrich Franz von Biber, the neo classical piece was conceived and crafted specifically with the idea of the dancers being filmed from 360 degrees. Choreographing with the camera in mind versus audience was a new kind of welcomed, enjoyable challenge.

As 5 Ballerinas was the first piece Hough made after being locked down, using the space and expressing the joy of dancing after being stuck dancing in our kitchens for months were prominent inspirations here.

As the baroque period was one of the main inspirations for the piece, Melissa used fencing as one of the bases for the movement vocabulary. Baroque fashion is used as a sort of armor for the main woman, put on as a way to hide from the world and from herself as she goes through her psychological drama.

Creative team

Creative team

Choreography and Concept
Melissa Hough

Music
Violin Sonatas by
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
excerpts from No. 3, 4, 5, 6

Costumes
Melissa Hough

Lighting
Dorthe Wiig Andersen

Choreography and Concept
Melissa Hough

Music
Classical Works by Antonio Vivaldi;
Concerto in E minor,
Cum dederit, Mandoline
Concerto No. 1, Eja Mater
Soundscape by Jon Balke

Costumes
Xavier Ronze

Lighting
Paul Vidar