Versace dance tribute watched by Naomi, Claudia

MILAN, July 16 (Reuters) Milan marked the 10th anniversary of designer Gianni Versace's death with an hour of ballet pieces with costumes he designed at La Scala opera house, with models Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell watching.

"We're going to dance for you a few tidbits that you created," choreographer Maurice Bejart said, looking up from the stage at a giant photograph of Versace, who was gunned down outside his Miami house by serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

Bejart and Versace collaborated on 12 ballets, including "Sudden Death," from 1984 and ending in June 1997 with "Barocco Bel Canto." The audience at La Scala yesterday also included actor Rupert Everett, designer Karl Lagerfeld and Italian television show presenter Mike Buongiorno. Many of the guests were wearing Versace creations, including a striking red skirt with a black top covered in sparkling embroidery and a cream sheath silk dress with pleated bodice.

Versace was known as a fashion designer for his exuberant prints and love of gold, making his outfits popular with rock stars and emblematic of the 1980s glitz and money culture.

Bejart, who turned 80 at the start of this year, described the mini-ballets leaning against a dance exercise bar at the side of La Scala's stage, at times speaking to the dancers as if in class.

Costumes for ballerinas were the focus at the start of the "Thanks, Gianni, with love" show, as male dancers wore flesh tones that kept them in the background as they supported their more colourful partners.

A dancer in a black and white long dress with net layers fluffing the skirt started the show, her arm movements fluid as her performance echoed a feather in its float to earth.

Another costume was of deep black pleats formed into an hour glass shape around the dancer's body, while silver spangled black folds in an outfit created for a ballet about Eva Peron.

Music ranged from Gustav Mahler to Queen, with dance routines equally varied.

One interlude started with dancers lying on stage covered by white cloths -- an eerie calmness redolent of the morgue.

But to the sound of Queen's "It's a Beautiful Day," the dancers sat up, peeping over the outstretched cloths, then wound them round like rumpled sheets and finally jumped up, crumpling the cloths into bundles that were tossed from hand to hand.

With Gianni's sister Donatella, who now designs for the label, watching from La Scala's best seats with her family, the show ended with a plaintive call of his name from the leading ballerina as she turned to look at his photograph.

Reuters SW VV0936