Happy birthday, “Bohemian Rhapsody!” 40 years later, Queen‘s timeless and wonderful song from 1975 continues to generate dozens of covers and tributes via the sister arts. How about that Kanye West version at Glastonbury? (We kid; that was a huge nightmare!) Here’s a hidden gem released last month that combines two of the most united art forms – music and dance.
Along with two additional tribute videos from Trinity Boys Choir and Royal Academy of Music, this video features two professional ballet dancers from the English National Ballet, Erina Takahashi and James Forbat. They take on this iconic song with choreography by fellow ENB dancer, James Streeter. This virtuosic pas de deux (French for “step of two”) is just one moving glimpse into the delicate side of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ as these dancers traverse along the ballad intro onward into the bravado of the guitar solo and operatic conclusion we know and love dearly.
Queen and professional ballet had an often overlooked history together. In fact, an entire full-length ballet called Ballet For Life that utilized Queen’s recordings with Mozart’s compositions was created by the French choreographer, Maurice Bejart, shortly after Freddie Mercury’s death. Before that though, Freddie Mercury famously sang and danced to “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” on stage with the Royal Ballet in 1979.
Here’s an additional look behind the scenes of the Trinity Boys Choir, Royal Academy of Music, and English National Ballet’s touching tributes to one of the most exemplary songs of the 20th century.
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HT: Paste Magazine
Video and Image Credit: Queen and English National Ballet