The 8 Best Pas De Deux in Ballet History

1. The Nutcracker – Marius Petipa

The Nutcracker, a classic Christmas Story, is a fairy tale ballet with two acts centered on a family's Christmas Eve celebration. Alexandre Dumas Père's alterations of the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann was set to music by Tchaikovsky and was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa.

2. Sleeping Beauty – Marius Petipa

The sleeping beauty is one of the most well-known ballets/stories. It was first performed in 1890. The music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

3. Manon – Kenneth MacMillan

The Opera world was in love by the story of Manon – a woman torn between worldly wealth and true love. Massenet and Puccini both wrote great operas based on her story and the great British choreographer, Kenneth MacMillan was inspired to create a ballet set to music by Massenet.

4. Romeo and Juliet – Kenneth MacMillan

Romeo and Juliet is an internationally famous play by William Shakespeare. It was choreographed as a ballet  and is another Kenneth MacMillan classic.

5. Giselle – Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot

This ballet, choreographed most famously by Marius Petipa,  has become a much-loved classic. 

6. Alice in Wonderland – Christopher Wheeldon

In 2011 the Royal Ballet commissioned Christopher Wheeldon to create a new full-length ballet. And the result was a modern classic.

7. Swan Lake – Marius Petipa

Another Tchaikovsky ballet with the classic choreography of Marius Petipa. In the Black Swan pas de deux the ballet dancer can really indulge their dark side, and generally have a great time.

8. La fille mal gardée - Frederick Ashton

 Frederick Ashton created more than 100 works in his lifetime and shaped the style of the Royal Ballet.