The familiar tale of a downtrodden girl, a magical pair of shoes, nasty stepsisters and a mystical godmother will unfold at the State Theatre on Saturday, May 20. Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania will present the timeless classic ‘Cinderella,’ a full-length story ballet.
‘We have a cast of about 80 total,’ said choreographer Rebecca Maciejczyk, ‘and this ballet is just full of movement, a lot of dancing.’
Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s unpredictable score of wild rhythms and boisterous passages tossed in with soft, flowing melodies, the ballet presents special challenges for Madelyn Wolf. Wolf, 17, will dance the title role.
‘Prokofiev isn’t afraid to step out of the box,’ she said, ‘and the time signatures make the dancing more flavorful.’
Wolf agreed with Maciejczyk’s statement that the show has a lot of dancing. She has to maintain a high energy level, while making the work appear effortless.
‘I’m building stamina, and I’m acting and portraying a character while dancing, ‘ Wolf said.
Cinderella can’t make it to the ball on her own. Her fairy godmother enlists helpers, who spend their time in the fairy realm, to offer seasonal charms. Eleanor Jamison will dance the Winter Fairy role, Michaela Saporito, the Spring Fairy, Alyssa Boob and Gillian Dash will alternate in the Summer Fairy role, and Anna Snellgrove will portray the Autumn Fairy.
Jamison, 16, said that she, too, finds this show challenging, although beautiful and elegant.
‘The steps are more stylized,’ she said. ‘My piece is slower with some hard turns and I use my arms a lot.”
Saporito describes her piece as ‘quick and fun.”
She will dance a petit allegro, a segment utilizing series of small jumps and lightning-fast footwork. She recalls initially finding the choreography challenging.
‘It’s interesting to see myself improve with every rehearsal,’ she said.
In preparation for the role, Saporito watched as many different versions of the variation that she could find on YouTube.
The version of the ballet that PASCP will perform draws on the choreography of Edward Myers, the late director of the Nashville Ballet. Maciejczyk adapted it to suit her young cast.
‘It’s not just the steps, it’s the way of expressing the music with every movement, ‘ she said.
Wolf described the score as ‘characterful.’ And, she admitted she has little in common with Cinderella.
‘I was never a Disney princess fan, and I don’t consider myself sweet like Cinderella is,’ she said, ‘so, it’s been different for me to step into this kind of a role.’
With a variety of roles, an enormous cast, a riveting score, a touch of humor and scenes filled with elegant costumes, ‘Cinderella’ will delight audiences ready for a touch of fantasy.
‘I want kids to watch and say they want to do that too,’ Maciejczyk said. ‘And, I want people to watch and to wonder when they can see us perform again.’
