Ever notice how dark and dramatic fairytales can be? Sure they can be fantastic and magical, but it’s the drama that makes the magic that much more magical. A good bit of drama makes a fairytale so much the better—and so it goes for dance.
“It’s something we all know we can all relate to,” said Diane Zink, artistic director of Everybody Can DANCE.
The Santa Maria Civic Ballet and Everybody Can DANCE will present Snow White, Giselle Act II, and La Bayadere Act II June 5 and 6 at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande. In 2002, Zink adapted the first dance—Snow White—into a ballet set to Beethoven specifically for the younger dancers she teaches. Most of the dancers are 10 and younger, with the littlest, playing ducks, just 3 years old.
Working with such tiny dancers isn’t the chore it could be, as long as the choreography and music are chosen wisely.
“The steps map very nicely to the music for them,” Zink explained. “The music for them is very bold in its temperament; they understand the music and the way to move their bodies.”
Small children also understand and relate to the bold themes, the dramatic difference between sadness and happiness.
Alexis Salazar and Baily Durnan will alternately dance the character of Snow White.
Older students will present the second number; Giselle is a story about a woman in love with a prince who breaks her heart. Remorseful, the prince visits Giselle’s grave, only to be visited by maidens who died of broken hearts—also known as the Wilies. Their queen, Myrtha, commands the prince to dance until he dies. Still in love with the prince, Giselle dances with him to inspire and help him until the bells of dawn ring out and the Wilies must leave. The prince’s life is saved.
The role of Giselle will be performed alternately by Kayla Holford and Candice Hull. Myrtha will be danced by Juliet Peck and Micaela Stewart.
“Giselle, it’s a very beautiful love story, but there’s also the spooky love stories the kids love to tell,” Zink said.
The third ballet is La Bayadere, a love triangle set in India. The setting provides the opportunity for colorful costumes and virtuoso dances. The story examines the relationship between a temple dancer, Nikiyah; a rajah’s daughter, Gamzatti; and a warrior, Solor. Nikiyah and Solor have pledged eternal love, but Solor was chosen as Gamzatti’s fiancé. Meanwhile the High Brahmin is also in love with Nikiyah and attempts to have Solor killed by informing Solor’s betrothed, Gamzatti, and her father, of the forbidden love. But instead of killing Solor, they decide Nikiyah must die.
“It’s very dramatic and very beautiful. We also have a lot of men in it,” Zink happily pointed out, because many ballets are often short on male dancers.
The role of Nikiya, the temple dancer, will be performed alternately by Juliet Peck and Kayla Holford. The role of Gamzatti, the rajah’s daughter, will be danced by Candice Hull and Micaela Stewart. The male lead in all three performances will be danced by guest artist Sayat Asatryan.
An encore piece has been added to the production, as well. Pas de Quatre was originally choreographed by Jules Perrot in 1845. When it premiered, it caused a stir because it featured the four greatest ballerinas of the time—and they didn’t get along. To smooth any tensions, the choreographer designed the ballet to bring the dancers on stage in order of age, youngest first, and create footwork that didn’t require them to look at each other.
The ballerinas dancing in the Santa Maria Civic Ballet production are—thankfully—not so hostile.
“They’re actually quite good friends,” Zink said, “but they wanted to do this because it will be the last dance they are performing together. The girls will be going off to college, med school, and pursuing their dancing dreams in other states, so they chose this as a tribute.”
The dance will wrap up six months of work for Santa Maria Civic Ballet and Everybody Can DANCE. It’s also the 25th anniversary performance.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone is pretty sure she CAN’T dance. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 3-10, 2010.
