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| Ballet students ready to present ‘The Snow Queen’. Students at the School of Dance and Musicianship are gearing up for “The Snow Queen.” From left to right are Holly Frey, Gaby Desroches, Heather Hough, Gillian Kopeschny, Genevieve Lefaive, Marie Duffy, Nikita Grise, Victoria Blais and Erin Frey. Submitted photo |
Performers range in age from three to 17
MIDLAND – Months of preparation by approximately 45 young ballet students will come to fruition this week with a performance of “The Snow Queen.”
The children, ages three to 17, are students at the School of Dance and Musicianship in Midland.
Patricia Stenton, director of the school, also has the role of producer and choreographer.
“I started thinking about ‘The Snow Queen’ as a ballet in the spring of 2009. When I discussed it with my senior dancers and saw their enthusiasm, my work (began) in earnest,” she said.
She read the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale over and over, selecting the essential elements in order to arrange them into dance scenes.
“As for the choreography itself, that’s a process that evolves over a long period of time, like a mosaic that slowly becomes a work of art,” Stenton explained. “Since there was no suitable musical score, I had to spend a lot of time listening to all kinds of music to find pieces that would help us tell the story through dance.”
The school has staged a production every two years since 1985, including full-length ballets such as “The Nutcracker,” “Hansel and Gretel” and “Cinderella.”
“The Snow Queen” is a story about two friends, Gerda and Kai, who are separated when the Snow Queen takes Kai to her icy domain. A magic mirror adds to the dramatic events, and Gerda must brave many adventures when she sets out in search of her friend.
The ballet is filled with many colourful characters Gerda meets along the way to the story’s happy ending.
All proceeds of the production will go to Sleeping Children Around the World, which has been the charity of choice for all of school’s public performances since 1991. The Canadian organization provides bed kits containing a mattress, bedding, clothing and sometimes school supplies, dishes or a layette for a baby.
“The Snow Queen” will take to the stage at Monsignor Castex School on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $9 for those 18 and under. They are available at Johnstone’s MusicLand, The Explorers Café, Karma Marketplace and through the School of Dance and Musicianship at 526-5256.
For more information about Sleeping Children Around the World, or to make a donation, visit www.scaw.org.
