Not everyone appreciates a wonderfully creepy piece of choreography known as “The Spider.”
Originally created by award-winning Dutch choreographer and ballerina Milena Sidorova, her performance of the dance went viral. At the time she was just 13 years old and amassed tens of millions of views.
The origins of “The Spider”
Sidorova has been interviewed numerous times about the unique ballet that involves immense flexibility and a lot of creepy crawling around the stage.
When asked how she came up with the routine, she said:
“As a kid, I really loved spiders and I used to observe them a lot. They had this particular way of moving and were still very gracious creatures, although a bit weird. When I studied ballet professionally, I once tried to imitate the movements of a spider in the living room — which made my mother laugh a lot. She said: ‘Hey, why don’t you make that into a dance?’”
She did, and while plenty of people felt it wasn’t ballet, you can’t really argue with someone who is a professional choreographer and was a principal dancer with a national company.
The Furman “Spider’
Unlike Sidorova, Furman begins with some gymnastic maneuvers. This alone might be reason to consider it a different dance – more of an homage to the original than a replication.
It also includes more balletic elements.
But she soon ends up in the same spider-like stance that kicks off Sidorova’s routine.
Unlike the graceful maneuvers of a ballerina on pointe shoes, one might be led to believe this dance is easier than a more traditional ballet routine. But it just requires a different set of skills.
Balance, for example, is always important, but this is next-level:
Go ahead and try it if you don’t believe us (just know that you may hurt yourself!).
Sidorova herself said the “Spider Dance” can be enormously challenging:
“Not necessarily because it requires advanced technical skills, but the spider pose requires a certain flexibility in your hips and lower back that even most professional dancers do not possess. Especially the first pose and the walk that follows are very demanding.”
Furman does a beautiful job with the routine, which does look slightly less arachnid than the original. But maybe that’s for the best.
The response
“Amazing flexibility and control over the body. Together with gracefulness it is such a pleasure to watch! Thank you“
Art is supposed to make you feel something, after all!
And there’s no rule that says ballet has to be all tutus and twirls (though Furman includes some beautiful moves).
In the end, what’s important is that Furman set a challenge for herself as a young artist and met her goal with gusto.
She’s quite the talented dancer!
If you’re curious to see the entire routine for yourself, be sure to scroll down below for the video.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
