Lou de Laâge Defied ‘Normal Codes of Seduction’ for Étoile
In the series ‘Étoile‘, Cheyenne’s character is both repelling and captivating, her rough demeanor starkly contrasting with the elegance of her dance performances. Roaming Lincoln Center in a pair of combat boots, Cheyenne expresses herself bluntly, exhausts the male dance partners chosen by NYMB artistic director Jack McMillan (Luke Kirby), and shares a bed with her new collaborator on Jack’s couch. It’s quite a lot for one character to handle, and de Laâge, learning to keep pace with the Palladinos’ signature quick pace in a language not her own, makes Cheyenne impossible to ignore – particularly when, towards the end of the season, she stumbles during the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and comes to understand that perhaps she is not flawless.