Are you new to ballet and eager to discover all you can about Swan Lake, or a die-hard ballet fan who wants fascinating details about the music, the story, and the choreography (not to mention the chance to see some dynamite dance excerpts)?

Either way, we urge you to watch these four videos which encompass a 30-minute BBC documentary called “The Magic of Swan Lake,” narrated by Darcey Bussell, among the most acclaimed Swan Queens of her generation. They were brought to our attention by Xuan Cheng, OBT Principal Dancer who is learning the roles of Odette (the White Swan Queen) and Odile (the Black Swan). In her excitement about the opportunity to prepare these roles, Xuan has been researching Swan Lake’s history and mystique.

“I want to say I have the same feeling,” about Swan Lake as this documentary, Xuan says. “I think it is every ballerina’s dream to be a Swan Queen one day. It is the milestone for a classical ballet dancer. Everything about classic ballet is in the roles of Odette and Odile: technique, flexibility, control, elegance, gracefulness, dynamics, drama, acting abilities, stage presence details, artistry, everything.”