But for this one, it helps to come armed with some history and context, as Paquita is steeped in both.
This time he danced Lucien, and Yelena Andreyanova danced Paquita.
In 1881, Petipa revived the ballet and added new sections—most notably the pas de trois and Grand Pas–composed by Léon Minkus.
Ekaterina Vazem danced Paquita and Pavel Gerdt danced Lucien.
Ratmansky’s staging of Balanchine’s restaging of Petipa’s pas de trois from Act One, Minkus Pas de Trois, comes first.

Ratmansky’s ‘Paquita’ Is a Bright and Tender Thing