La Fille Mal Gardee

Hong Kong Academy of Ballet’s annual year-end performance La Fille Mal Gardée in May 2026 joyfully showcases dedicated students transforming their classroom learning into a fabulous stage performance with a full-length narrative ballet to highlight and nurture their technical skills and artistic development. La Fille Mal Gardée is one of the oldest and most important works in the modern ballet repertory, having been staged originally in Bordeaux, France in 1789 and subsequently restaged by scores of choreographers throughout the centuries, including Marius Petipa/Lev Ivanov in 1885, Frederick Ashton in 1960, Alicia Alonso in 1964 and Heinz Spoerli in 1981 among others.

Lise and Colas are in love and want to marry. However, the Widow Simone wants Lise to marry the naive but extremely rich Alain. Alain’s father has arranged this marriage proposal between the two. The Widow Simone does her best to keep Lise and Colas apart but is unsuccessful in her attempts to do so.

Full of charm and exuberant humour, the striking performance features elements of life in the farm, celebrating the harvest, this production is infused with playful little chicks, little ducks and geese, bringing joy, energy, and endearing charm to the scene, leading  into the Butter Dance, Feeding Dance and Wheat Dance with choreography inspired by the countryside.