Classical ballet demands grace under pressure, but for Houston Ballet principal Mireille Hassenboehler, that could take on a whole new meaning. Artistic director Stanton Welch has been toying with using live snakes in his new production of La Bayadere (Feb. 25-March 7). The 19th century classic, set in ancient India, has a famous scene where a venomous asp bites the heroine Nikiya, who refuses an antidote because her lover Solar has deserted her. In true Bollywood spirit, Welch had his ballerinas pose with some harmless snakes for the publicity shoot. Hassenboehler, who has danced roles ranging from Aurora to Cleopatra, talked with DM's ENews about her debut as Nikiya, her fear of snakes, and one of her most famous hidden talents.   

What section in Bayadere are you rehearsing now? We're seeing what the traditional Shades choreography looks like with a scarf that's tulle versus one that's silk. It's all about which one billows better and stays up in the air long enough for the girl to do her turns under it. 

Are there really snakes in the production? We saw the snake handler at a rehearsal, but I hope not. Stanton wanted them for the photo shoot. I was given the one snake that had bitten the handler's daughter. They told me it matched my costume. Then they said that this snake doesn't work well with other snakes and they wanted me to turn away from the other dancers so the snake wouldn't see their snakes and get upset. 

If the snakes end up onstage, do you think you can handle it?

It's like anything you practice. With time and the same snake, I think we could form a partnership. Like, I won't drop you if you won't bite me.

I hear that you have a hidden talent: you can growl like a cougar. How come? When I was a kid, my family had a Mercury Cougar. We used to drive to ballet class in it and on the way we'd try to growl like cougars. I was the best- I could make this deep, gutteral sound in my throat. My husband Robert Patman is a University of Houston alum, and their football team is the Cougars. I recently outgrowled his former frat brothers. I showed them the ballerina had more Cougar pride.

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