Last night I went to the ballet for the first time in recent memory. I have to say, though I had my initial reservations, it was really good! The production was Spartacus performed by the Belarusian National Theater, who is in Bangkok for a couple weeks during the International Festival of Dance and Music.

I have to admit, it was hard not to laugh initially—the majority of the play is made up of guys running around on stage in gladiator tops and nothing downtown other than a pair of skin colored briefs. Some of their dance moves, too, were pretty ridiculous, but I guess that’s just the nature of the show. Other than a couple fits of laughter, for the majority of the show I sat in silent reverence and looked like this:

Opera, dance, ballet, the symphony…Oddly enough, I think I’m seeing more fine arts here than I was in New York. And in no small part because it’s complimentary.