Students in Indiana University’s ballet program rehearse “Star on the Rise,” the reimagined “La Bayadère,” in Bloomington. Noble Guyon for The New York Times. 

Doug Fullington, left, and Phil Chan, together at the Musical Arts Center at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. on March 7th. The pair began working on a reimagined version of La Bayadère in 2018.

Phil Chan, left, and Doug Fullington have collaborated on the reimagined ballet. Chan said that for the new version the team was creating “a form of exoticism that is about us, not about ‘them.’” Noble Guyon for The New York Times

Kaito Aihara, who plays a cowboy, at a fitting for the new production, which premiered on March 29, 2024. Noble Guyon for The New York Times


Indiana Coté, center, is fit for the costume of Pamela Zatti in Star On The Rise: La Bayadere … Reimagined!, at the Musical Arts Center in Bloomington, Ind.

Indiana Coté being fitted for a costume to dance the role of Pamela Zatti.

Noble Guyon for The New York Times 

Jacobs School of Music ballet student Zoe Gallagher, center, performs during a rehearsal of the ballet in early March at the Musical Arts Center in Bloomington, Ind.

Zoe Gallagher, center, performs during a rehearsal of the ballet in early March. Noble Guyon for The New York Times. 

Jacobs School of Music ballet student Jessica Ousterhout performs as Nikki during a rehearsal of Star On The Rise: La Bayadere … Reimagined!, in early March at the Musical Arts Center in Bloomington, Ind.

Jessica Ousterhout, one of the dancers cast as Nikki.

Noble Guyon for The New York Times

How would steps created in Imperial Russia fit in with the new setting? “They seemed very transferable,” Fullington said. “They weren’t exotic in any way.”Credit...Noble Guyon for The New York Times

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