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performance, Cojocaru added a touch of 21st century technical dazzle to this famous 19th century variation. Cojocaru had an opportunity to explore a less traditional role in Les Lutins, Johan Kobborg's charming ballet. He has set this smooth, light-hearted work as a conversa- tion between music and dance. A lone dancer — loose-limbed Daniel Ulbricht in his best performance of the evening — challenged a violinist, Kurt Nikkanen, to an imaginary con- versation/competition. There is an aura of improvisation to the quirky, quicksilver cho- reography. After a pause, Herman Cornejo came bounding in. The two men challenged one another with spins and jumps; but then a girl, with her back to the audience, slid into view. It was Cojocaru, who was both charming and playful as she flirted with the two men and the violinist. Les Lutins, one of the evening's surprises, is a delightful story ballet, and it left me with the feeling that Kobborg has an interesting future as a choreographer. The evening's choice of ballets offered Cojocaru the opportunity to show her range of emotions as a dancer/actress, going from the innocent playfulness of Les Lutins to the role of the intense passionate lover in the pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillan's ballet Manon, based on the Abbe Prevost tale of a tragic love story. From one moment to the next, Cojocaru (Manon) was elegant, expressive and ecstatic, turning each step of the choreography into Daniel Ulbrict/Contributed photo Sarasota News Leader May 2, 2014 Page 95