Off Pointe

Would You Dance If I Asked You To Dance?

On Point

Gabriel Designs Revealed

By Rena Rouge

Gabriel Agreste (50) has finally unleashed his design skills on the dance world full force as we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at his up and coming costumes for the Christmas Gala, 'The Nutcracker'. Gabriel (his self named company), has thrown together a total of 36 outfits (14 roles and additional for the reserve) and we were able to preview those of 'The Nutcracker' and 'Clara', played by Luka Couffaine (21) and Zoé Lee (20), respectively, and all we can say is wow!

Agreste and his company have managed to bring to life the combination of classical costumes with an updated aesthetic for the more modern audience. The fine details Gabriel has added are dripping in wealth and luxury, making the ballet once again aimed to the upper class, and although we're sure young ballerinas everywhere will want to model themselves on this new version, we do worry expectations are being set too high.

But at the end of the day, the ballet world is to be adored, not copied. We're looking forward to seeing the remainder of the costumes on gala day.

*****

In the dimly lit studio, the haunting melody enveloped the dancers, urging them into a hypnotic dance of passion and precision. Each movement was a symphony of emotion, their bodies expressing a story that transcended words.

The air crackled with tension as they navigated the intricate choreography, a dance that mirrored the ebb and flow of the wild love affair. The studio suddenly became a canvas, painted with raw energy of every leap, twirl, and embrace. The music, a heartbeat echoing through the space, amplified the intensity, leaving an indelible impression of a dance etched in the soul of the studio – a Miraculous display for all to see.

Lifts gave way to gestures, gestures to solos, and solos to close embraces – each and every step building to the final climax.

The music faded to nothingness, a stunned silence taking over the studio as both began to catch their breath. Sweat. Exhaustion. Accomplishment. Perfection.

"There's only one thing wrong with it," Plagg said, walking over towards them as they slowly let go and drifted apart.

Adrien stood by her side, both of them waiting in anticipation of what their dance master would say. It seemed right, and it most certainly felt right. What more could there be?

Their rehearsal time over the past week had been split between Marinette training solo and the two of them working together. She had been disappointed once she'd heard about Gabriel's new orders for Adrien, then she channelled that anger into something else, something that would benefit them both — rehearsing.

The more she could rehearse, the more likely they could get one up on Gabriel Agreste, however, knowing how he could treat his own son gave her slight apprehension about what could come next. He was well and truly working his way up on her most hated list.

One thing she knew for certain though, was that they looked good... actually, better than good.

"Hit me with it," Adrien said. Marinette watched as he squinted, fear radiating over him, and his hard bravado disappearing from sight.

Plagg looked between the two of them, his face deadly serious and slightly terrifying. "The only thing wrong with it is... I didn't choreograph it."

The smile stretched across her face and threatened to split it in half, Adrien displaying the exact same emotion on his own lips. They'd done it! They'd actually done it! Covering her mouth and the squeal threatening to escape, she was grabbed around the waist and spun around in a circle. Adrien whooped and cheered in response. His hard work finally justified.