By Deborah Searle.

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
February 10 2012

Internationally renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp has created a new storybook ballet for Atlanta Ballet and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, in The Princess and the Goblin. Based on the 1872 children’s tale by George MacDonald, this ballet has the potential to become a classic for the new generation.

The story, which tells of a young Princess Irene who saves forgotten children from the Goblin Kingdom, is cute and fun, however I was a little disappointed as the story was confusing and lacked emotional highs and lows.  

The ballet opened with a grand party scene in King Papa’s garden where Princess Irene, played by Alessa Rogers,  soon discovered that the town’s children were being kidnapped by goblins. The dancing was beautiful, the music was fitting and the costumes elegant. But once this scene moved into the next, where Irene and her male companion Curdie entered the Goblin Kingdom, everything seemed to become a little messy.

Photo by Charlie McCullers, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

White streamers of silk fell from the sky all across the stage, which at first looked beautiful, shimmering in Don Holder’s exquisite lighting design, but they soon became distracting. They were so long that the dancers got their hands and heads tangled in them and it was hard to see the choreography being performed upstage.

The movement phrases given to the goblins were fitting, and the goblins were entertaining, but one couldn’t quite tell if they were meant to be in time with each other or not. Everything just looked a little sloppy. Some of the choreography for the male goblins and Curdie, played by Jacob Bush, was technically very difficult, yet the dancers performed it with ease. The female goblins shone as they embodied their characters, yet still seemed to dance in sync with each other, and with neat execution.

Once we entered the goblin world, King Papa, played by John Welker, became the Goblin King, wearing basically the same costume as when he was King Papa. This was a little confusing. Was King Papa now a goblin? If not, why was he stealing children? And the children’s Nanny (played by Tara Lee), who we were also introduced to in the party scene, came on stage now as the Goblin Queen. There was no explanation as to why these two main characters switched to evil counterparts, and it was puzzling. Were they evil or not? Were they goblins, and if so, why? The dancing by Welker and Lee was, of course, executed well. Tara Lee made a very convincing Goblin Queen and, as always, performed with brilliance.

Princess Irene was assisted throughout her journey by her Great-Great Grandmother, played by Christine Winkler. She was a ghost-like figure in all white who at one point gave Irene pointe shoes, which empowered her to overcome the goblins. Winkler made a beautiful, ethereal character, and is always such an elegant performer.

The highlight of the program was the children. With the cast including 11 children from age five upwards, we were treated to some adorable performances.  The children were dressed in street clothes with regular street shoes on. This was a little unexpected, but it worked. The choreography was simple and fun, yet generally not balletic. The young children made the show. Although there wasn’t much emotional attachment given to these forgotten children, the smiles on their excited faces made up for it.

The music by Franz Schubert and Richard Burke was delightful and the lighting by Don Holder was very impressive. The costumes by Anne Armit of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet were stunning, particularly in the opening scene.

The Princess and the Goblin has all the ingredients for a magical ballet that could become a favorite amongst audiences. However, I feel that it needs a little more time to mature. Twyla Tharp always creates outstanding shows, and I am a fan of her work. In time I think this work will develop all the charm and magic that it needs. A short production, at only 75 minutes, this ballet is perfect for young audiences.

Top photo: Photo by Kim Kenney, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

Hear from your favorite dance artists and be inspired for 2012!

By Deborah Searle.

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Do you make goals for yourself at the start of a new year, in the hope of becoming a better dancer, choreographer, or teacher? Even the industry’s most renowned dance artists set new goals for the new year.  Dance Informa spoke to international dance stars to find out their plans for 2012.

Erin Lamont

Erin Lamont
LA Based Choreographer and Creative Director
www.erinlamont.com

“My choreography and dance goals for this year include: choreographing a national commercial, my burlesque group ‘The Lalas’ to be in a residency at a resort/casino in Las Vegas (www.thelalas.com), and to work on a hit sitcom show choreographing a “spoof” scene for actors.  I LOVE working with non-dancers on comedic routines.  I always have such a blast! Other goals are to choreograph for another CSI episode.  I recently worked on CSI:NY and the experience was amazing.  As a dancer and choreographer I felt so appreciated and respected.  I also had a lot of artistic freedom in the scene which made for fun improvisation. Also, SYTYCD.  Need I say more? Lastly, I aim to work my agent to the bone and keep her so busy with all of my bookings. I just signed with The S Agency in L.A, and I am so excited for what lies ahead!”

LA based, Detroit born, Erin Lamont is an in demand choreographer with feature credits including The Video Game Awards with Neil Patrick Harris, Lady Gaga, Kevin Rudolph, Trace Adkins, Boys Like Girls, the Veronicas, CMT’s Your Chance to Dance, L.A Fashion Week, and ESPN. Erin tours internationally as a guest artist and choreographer and is also the producer and director of L.A’s hottest burlesque group, ‘The Lalas’.

Joshua Blake Carter. KJ Heath Photography

Joshua Blake Carter
Company dancer, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago

“In 2012 I plan to take better care of me. So often as a dancer I find myself rushing from one place to another without any time to cool down or stretch.  This year I want to set aside 10-15 minutes at the end of my day that I can use to stretch, do yoga, or simply just relax without any other distractions.  Taking care of our bodies is an integral part of our careers. It sounds easy, but I know this just might be the hardest thing to accomplish!”

Joshua Blake Carter, originally from Atlanta, GA is a company dancer for Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, as well as a freelance choreographer. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Cum Laude from the University of Arizona. In 2008 Joshua’s work was accepted as a finalist in the Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in Palm Desert, CA. The following year he was selected as a finalist and won Ballet Nouveau Colorado’s national choreography competition, dancemakers2.0.

Brian Friedman. Photo Lee Cherry

Brian Friedman
Creative Director The PULSE On Tour, Choreographer The X Factor

“Try and take more time off of work and to take up a new hobby! I need to learn a new craft… maybe a foreign language.”

Brian Friedman has choreographed and directed some of the most popular and groundbreaking music videos and performances for Britney Spears, Prince, NSYNC, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Usher  and more. As a dancer, his screen credits include both Charlie’s Angels hit movies, ‘You Got Served’, ‘She’s All that’ and ‘Austin Powers Gold Member’. His television shows include Will & Grace, David Letterman, Oprah, That 70’s Show, the Billboard Music Awards and The X Factor, amongst others.

Desmond Richardson. Photo Lee Cherry

Desmond Richardson         
Artistic Director/Co.Founder Complexions Contemporary Ballet, faculty of The PULSE On Tour

“Simply-  live without fear!!!!”

Hailed by the New York Times as one of the great modern dancers of his time, Desmond Richardson was a principal dancer for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre for seven years, before dancing for American Ballet Theatre and then on Broadway in ‘Fosse’, ‘Movin’ Out’ and ‘The Look of Love’.

Robert Hoffman. Photo Lee Cherry

Robert Hoffman
Step Up 2: The Streets, faculty of The PULSE On Tour
www.punchrobert.com

“To make ‘The Yes Dance’ into a movie… Grow as a person… And create a lot of smiles, wonderment, and laughter.”

Robert James Hoffman danced in the movie ‘You Got Served’ and performed supporting roles in ‘She’s the Man’, the prime-time missing person-themed series ‘Vanished’, and the supernatural horror movie ‘Shrooms’ . Hoffman then rose to fame as the lead male in Jon M. Chu’s urban dance drama ‘Step Up 2: The Streets’.

The PULSE On Tour® is a powerful weekend dance event featuring the most renowned instructors, choreographers and educators of today. Dancers and teachers walk away from the conventions feeling stronger and more empowered to reach their next goals in dance. The Pulse promises to show you a dance experience of a lifetime! www.thepulseontour.com www.facebook.com/pages/The-PULSE-On-Tour

Michele Assaf

Michèle Assaf
Artistic Director of World Dance Movement-The International Workshop

“To create more outlets nationally and internationally to educate dancers and support this community that has brought me a lifetime of joy.”

Michèle Assaf is an internationally renowned producer/ director/ choreographer and master teacher, having worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional and international theater projects as well as film and television.

Paul Knobloch

Paul Knobloch
Company Dancer, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet

“This New Year I will be joining Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, moving from Australia to San Francisco and making my mark on the American dance scene. I guess my resolutions for the new year are much like my ultimate dance dreams:
To be the best dancer I can possibly be.
To give myself completely as an artist. 
To bring happiness, joy and inspiration to all I am blessed to dance for.
To learn, absorb and soak up as much knowledge available to me in order to inspire and share the gift of dance with others.
To inspire other people who have a love and passion for dance, and encourage them to reach for the stars in pursuit of their ultimate dreams.”

After eight years as a leading dancer with The Australian Ballet, Paul Knobloch then joined the renowned Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. Paul has graced the stages of the world and danced throughout Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, China, America and Japan. Now America is calling and Paul will join San Francisco’s Alonzo King LINES Ballet in 2012.

Alessa Rogers. Photo Charlie McCullers, courtesy of Atlanta

Alessa Rogers
Company dancer, Atlanta Ballet, fourth season

“Lemons! My New Year’s Resolution is to consume the juice of one lemon a day. It’s such an easy lifestyle addition- just squeeze it over water or use as a salad dressing- and it provides so many health benefits. It is an antibacterial, a blood and liver purifier, a great digestive aid and it strengthens the immune system. What’s not to love about that tiny incorporation!

My artistic goal for 2012 is to create my body as a stronger and more versatile machine by doing various forms of cross-training. This past October my yoga practice came in handy when I had to do the “bird of paradise” yoga pose in Wayne McGregor’s Eden/Eden. I think that doing cross-training in various fields like rock climbing and tennis will help make my body more capable of tackling difficult ballets even if I won’t actually be rappelling on stage. But you never know! “

Alessa graduated from North Carolina School for the Arts.  She spent one season with North Carolina Dance Theatre II, where she performed works by Salvatore Aiello, Dwight Rhoden, and Alvin Ailey before joining Atlanta Ballet.  She has been a guest artist for three summers at the Roanoke Island Festival in Manteo, North Carolina. 

Jackie Nash. Photo Charlie McCullers, courtesy of Atlanta

Jackie Nash
Company dancer, Atlanta Ballet, debut season

“My New Year’s dance resolutions are pretty simple, but also kind of complicated.  I want to work up the confidence to find a spot at the barre in company class, where I can actually see myself in the mirror.  I am also really determined this year to find pointe shoes that really fit my feet!”

A native of Connecticut, Jackie Nash started her pre-professional ballet training at the Connecticut Dance School under the direction of Alan Woodard. She then spent two years in the dance and academic residency program at The Rock School for Dance Education and graduated in 2009. She has enjoyed dancing roles such as Marya in Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker and performing works by James Kudelka, Mark Godden, Lila York and Matt Kent of Pilobolus Dance Theater. 

Top photo: © Tom Wang | Dreamstime.com

As choreographer Gina Patterson puts it, her dance career “started with a bang!” And she seems in no rush to calm it down. Originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, Patterson now lives in Austin, Texas with her dancer husband Eric Midgley. Patterson admits that although she and Eric have a home in Texas, they haven’t been there much this year as a long list of exciting commissions has taken them across the country; one of these being a recent creation on the Atlanta Ballet for their Ignition program. In Atlanta, Dance Informa’s Deborah Searle spoke with Gina after a studio preview of her new work ‘Quietly Walking’.

How did you enjoy working with Atlanta Ballet?
I’ve so much enjoyed this experience. It really has been a wonderful thing! I really felt completely supported artistically by the Director, John McFall, and the staff. The dancers were really open. I felt like I could go into the piece really deeply and openly and the dancers went there with me wholeheartedly, physically, artistically and emotionally. It’s been a really complete experience. The dancers are so nice and I’ve just enjoyed every day in the studio with them.

Patterson's 'Quietly Walking' for Atlanta Ballet. Photo by Charlie McCullers

What were the challenges when creating your breathtaking work ‘Quietly Walking’ addressing issues of deforestation and urbanization?
The challenge was taking all these major topics and distilling them down into something that people can comprehend. How do you offer a window into the piece and then how do you translate it to dance when it’s been just a concept for a year? I was a little bit overwhelmed coming into the project because I had so many pieces back to back this year. But it’s been a wonderful experience to follow the creative process and see where it takes me, because I work really intuitively. I’ve learned to trust my intuition over the years. The more I trust it the more fun choreography actually is, because it ends up leading me into all these places. It’s like a writer who talks about how the book writes itself. I always feel the same thing, if you’re really in-tune with the process it ends up writing itself potentially.

So tell us about your long dance career.
When I got into dance it was at full force and I danced with a company for a couple of years. Then when I was 16 I toured with the Pittsburgh Opera as a singer and dancer and I travelled around Europe and Switzerland. From there I went to the Pittsburgh Ballet. I was then in Ballet Austin for about eight years, then Ballet Florida for four, and then Ballet Austin again for another eight years. While I was at Ballet Austin there were three different directors, so the company kept changing. I’ve had a 25 year career as a dancer and it has been so rich and varied. I feel really fortunate. I got to do all the classical roles and I did a lot of contemporary work. I also had a lot of roles created on me.

What inspired you to become a choreographer?
Well, that’s funny. I never set out to be a choreographer. I had people along the way say ‘you should choreograph, you’d be really good’. I thought there was no way I was ever going to choreograph. But I guess you should ‘never say never’, because when I was dancing with Ballet Florida, my now husband was co-directing a choreographer’s workshop and he approached me suggesting that I try choreographing. He was interested in a female take on choreography as there were only males choreographing for the workshop. I thought ‘well I guess if my co-workers can do it, I can do it’. I thought  I should just try. It was a three week program, and after two weeks I went to Eric and told him I was going to pull out because I literally only had two steps. I said ‘I can’t do this!’ But he told me that quitting wasn’t an option because the workshop was about the process. He said to show my two steps and then talk about what happened. But I thought ‘that’s not an option!’ All of a sudden it just came and I created a piece. It was on me and a really close friend of mine. I did a solo and then we had a pas de deux. A long story short, it was really successful and it was the first piece taken into the company’s rep. Then it went to Miami and New York! I thought it was just like a one hit wonder and I said ‘I’m not choreographing anymore’. Then I took part in the workshop the next year and the next. Then I was asked me to do something for the second company, for a summer show for 35 people. I never set out to choreograph. Opportunities kept coming and I just grew to fall in love with it.

'Speak' by Gina Patterson, featuring Gina and husband Eric Midgley, 2000, Ballet Florida. All Rights Reserved © Janine Harris

Why do you enjoy choreography?
For me as a dancer, the whole reason to dance was a way to express myself. I have fallen in love with not only the creative process, which is completely amazing to me and always surprises me, but with working with people. I love to coach. Choreography is a way to do that and it’s also a fuller expression of myself. It’s not just interpreting one role, but it’s the whole vision. It’s the costumes, the lights, the sound all coming into play, the coaching, the creating and the telling of the story that all comes together to create just a much fuller expression of something. It’s draining energetically but energising at the same time.

Your strong musicality is evident in your choreography.
I really have a great love for music as well as dance. I love doing a new creation because I listen to the music for a really long time and it goes into my consciousness and plays in my head. So then when I really get down to it and I start counting out the music, I feel like I can get inside the music. This is such a joy for me. When I come to work with the dancers the music’s playing in my head while I’m creating it. I know the music inside and out and the feeling of it, and it all ties together.

How do you keep your work fresh and original?
Every time I go into a new creation I approach it as a ‘new’ creation. The inspirations are different, the logistics and the parameters are different, and the dancers are different. In every piece all the ingredients are different, so it just turns out to be different. I also try to get myself to a space in my head where I’m always inspired. I feel like every day I can find inspiration somewhere. It’s important to stay open to everything. By staying open it keeps it fresh.

Arbenita (11 years), by Gina Patterson, featuring Maggie Small & Thomas Garrett, 2010, VOICE Dance Company. All Rights Reserved © Farid Zarrinabadi

You’ve had such a rich career, what is your highlight?
Something that was really special to me was the last time I performed Juliet. I danced Juliet about four times throughout my career. The last time I performed it with my husband and what was really special was that my Grandmother came to see me dance with my parents.  She hadn’t seen me dance since I was a little girl. Just to see her afterwards and to feel how she was so emotional was special. She couldn’t believe that I did what I did. It was extra special because my Grandparents really had a real life Romeo and Juliet story. That was just a special, personal moment for me. I’ve had so many great experiences but I think it’s more about the people that you share them with.

Tell us about your company ‘VOICE Dance Company’.
My husband and I co-founded our own company about a year and a half ago. To me this is even a fuller extension of expression because now I’m taking the concepts of the choreography and putting them into the organization and slowly growing that. VOICE Dance Company is still very young in its development, but we have projects we do and I have a pool of dancers to draw from. For me it’s about creating intimate experiences, boutique shows and making every show different. With Voice I can experiment here and there and go a little bit further. I can do things I maybe wouldn’t do on a bigger company. I’m really using Voice as a way to find more intimate experiences for the performers and for the audience.

Where can we see you and your work next?
In a couple of weeks I go back to Puerto Rico.  I’m doing two pieces to be performed at Dance Week in Puerto Rico, June 16 and 17. My work will then also be performed at the 55th International Choreographers’ Showcase in Madrid, Spain.

What are your future goals and dreams?
That’s a dangerous question because I never even thought I’d be capable of dancing as long as I did, or choreographing! First of all I just really want to continue to develop my voice as an artist, do my freelance work and hone my craft. I just love working with different dancers and meeting new people and creating. Eventually I would like a full-time company. I would like my own space to go to and create every day. I’m open to where life takes me but I do know that I’m destined to be in this business and I think I’ll be here forever.

Alliance Theatre, Atlanta
May 2011

By Deborah Searle.

Atlanta Ballet’s Ignition program allows the company to shine; not only the dancers, but the artistic team, and the new choreographers that it commissions. The program gives up-and-coming choreographers a chance to create work on a hungry and enthusiastic team of dancers with the strong support of Artistic Director John McFall and his talented team. As 2011 Ignition choreographer Gina Patterson revealed, “I really felt completely supported artistically by the Director, John McFall, and the staff. The dancers were really open. I felt like I could go into the piece really deeply and openly and the dancers went there with me wholeheartedly, physically, artistically and emotionally”. When a choreographer’s vision is supported and nurtured, magic can be created, and that is what we witnessed at Ignition 2011.

Flux. Dancers J. Welker and T. Lee. Photo by Charlie McCull

The evening of performances, danced in the intimate setting of Woodruff Art Centre’s Alliance Theatre, started with Flux, a work developed by young Bennyroyce Royon, a talented graduate from Julliard, New York. The movement was like liquid as the dancers body-rolled, slid across the floor and explored each other’s space. The performers, in pedestrian clothing and dancing in socks looked like average people at first glance until they started to hypnotize us with their intoxicating movement.  Royon has a unique choreographic voice and the dancers seemed to revel in his creation.  As partners they played with negative space and as groups they danced with strength and power. The men of Atlanta Ballet showed their prowess in compelling group numbers. The music was interesting and took us on the journey with the dancers. At times the music and the movement it inspired got a little repetitive, but that is my only criticism. I enjoyed the unique choreography and the challenge it presented to the Atlanta Ballet dancers, who I had only ever previously seen perform traditional ballets.

Quietly Walking, by Gina Patterson was a polished balletic masterpiece. Unlike the other works of the night, which seemed to need a little more time to reach their full potential, Quietly Walking had indeed arrived. It was a complete work, refined from start to finish and showed Atlanta Ballet’s dancers as brilliant technicians and engaging and expressive artists. There were so many special moments. Patterson explored layers of costuming and beautiful fluid choreography that caught our attention and kept it. The work discussed themes of urbanization and deforestation, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom. We experienced the circle of life, death and rebirth and were taken on a breathtaking, yet thought provoking journey. The partner work was exquisite as the dancers showed their vulnerability and seemed to wholeheartedly enjoy the journey. I was taken to another place. Patterson has a gift! Her choreography, and the dancers’ execution of it, together with a beautiful yet simple backdrop of a stark tree branch within a frame, was evocative.

Quietly Walking. Dancers C. Clark and C. Winkler. Photo by Charlie McCullers

Lastly we were treated to Home in 7, the most unique work of the night. Choreographer Amy Seiwert made a bold creation, where she blended live poetry, live music and dance. The company danced to the words of talented poet Marc Bamuthi Joseph as he passionately and rhythmically told tales of Georgia and Atlanta. The poems on their own were engaging, but coupled with dance to express the words spoken, the stories came to life.  Violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain accompanied the choreography and his music was an intimate and beautiful response to both Marc and the dancers. Home in 7 was powerful and thoroughly entertaining. Amy Seiwert seemed to be able to find the essence of the words spoken without mimicking them and took us on a journey with the poet. She had such a bold idea, but it was a gamble that paid off. The dancers once again showed us why they are Georgia’s best and Atlanta Ballet as a company impressed us with their courage to try something new. The piece has immense potential and should be toured across Georgia and shown again and again, as a tribute to this great state. Dancers and local US ‘Georgians’ alike couldn’t help but enjoy it. The work was so engaging that I wasn’t ready for it to finish when it did. It seemed to end suddenly to me, and that is my only criticism. Maybe that’s only because I was so engrossed in it?

Ignition ignited my personal passion for dance and the arts and was an evening exhibiting artistic collaboration at its best. Congratulations to Atlanta Ballet and the talented choreographers.

Top photo: Home in 7 by Atlanta Ballet. Dancers P. Gamino, T. Lee and D. Hansel. Photo by Charlie McCullers.

Atlanta Ballet Presents
Ignition: New Choreographic Voices

Keeping with Atlanta Ballet’s tradition of premiering edgy new works, artistic director John McFall has hand-picked an extraordinary crew of young, up-and-coming choreographers to bring a new dance voice to Atlanta in the company’s season finale of Ignition: New Choreographic Voices, May 13 through 15.

Ignition will feature three world premiere works created exclusively for Atlanta Ballet, to be showcased in the intimate confines of the Alliance Stage, promising a variety of movement, music and diverse themes. The three works; Amy Seiwert’s Home in 7, Bennyroyce Royon’s Flux and Gina Patterson’s Quietly Walking, are set to inspire and engage audiences young and old. Dance Informa enjoyed a preview of the works  in the company’s gorgeous Atlanta studios. Here are a few snap shots we managed to capture whilst being swept away in the beauty of the movement.

Ignition is sure to be interesting, poignant and powerful.

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
Feb 11 2011

By Deborah Searle

The Sleeping Beauty was a magical night of classical ballet with all the bells and whistles. The sets were exquisite, the costumes ornate and the storyline was, as you’d expect, a fairytale of dreams and happy endings.

I have seen the Atlanta Ballet perform on several occasions, but for me, this was their best performance yet. Danced to Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score played beautifully by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, the dancers were light on their feet, assured and adept.

The choreography, originally by Marius Petipa, was adapted and staged by John McFall for this performance of the ballet classic. McFall’s rendition was delightful. He stayed true to the story and brought its magic into the audience where our eyes lit up and our hearts tingled.

Photos by Charlie McCullers, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

The stand out performers were Tara Lee as ‘Carabosse’, Nadia Mara as ‘Princess Florine’ and Jared Tan as ‘Blue Bird’. Lee played the evil ‘Carabosse’ with the perfect blend of dynamics and elegance. Her technique was flawless and her character portrayal was very convincing. The pas de deux by Princess Florine and Blue Bird was executed with brilliance. Well cast for the role, Tan as Blue Bird showcased his amazing ballon. His extension is impressive and he is a true performer.

Kristine Necessary as Princess Aurora was captivating. At first I wasn’t convinced with her performance, which was probably due to a few opening night nerves, but as the ballet progressed she won me over and brought me into her magic. Her extension in jeté seemed to lack, but in all other areas she was strong and flexible, yet graceful.

The entire cast were skilled and committed and they brought magic to the theater.  At times there were definite stand outs. Several dancers outshone their peers onstage, whether by their performance level or display of crisp technique, but all in all the dancers were well trained and talented.

The lighting, smoke and transparent screens brought the fairytale to life, and were very impressive. The lighting and set design must be applauded, as they took the ballet from delightful to a magical masterpiece. Notably the effects used for Caraboose’s exit were thrilling for the audience, especially the youngsters.

The Sleeping Beauty is such a fun ballet, as well as whimsical and charming. With characters such as Puss’n boots, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, there is something for audience members young and old. The theatre was filled with little girls and their mothers, as well as little girls at heart, and the performance was well enjoyed by all.