'Angelina Ballerina' ballet gives a storybook finish
Lona Gomez enjoyed reading the Angelina Ballerina book series to each of her three girls when they were little.
She said her daughters would often wonder what it was like to live in the world of that tiny ballerina mouse.
So the choreographer with Ballet Spartanburg decided to bring the world of the book to the stage. She wrote a ballet, telling the story of Angelina Ballerina as she prepares to audition at the prestigious Camembert Academy, the premiere performing arts school.
But in this story, Angelina realizes the world is more than just ballet. She meets mouse friends who teach her about hip-hop dance and Irish dance.
“I wanted to make it somewhat updated. I added things that kids might enjoy such as Irish and hip-hop dance styles,” Gomez said.
“Angelina Ballerina's Big Audition” will be performed Friday and Saturday inside the David Reid Theatre at the Chapman Cultural Center as the first ballet in a double feature. A production of “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” directed by Carlos Agudelo, also will be performed.
“The Elves & the Shoemaker” is based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It is the story of a poor shoemaker and his wife, who receive much needed help from elves on the night he plans to close his shop for good. It is a story about the joy of giving.
While there is a touring “Angelina Ballerina” musical, Agudelo, the artistic director of Ballet Spartanburg, said the organization is the only one in the country to have been given the rights to produce an Angelina Ballerina ballet.
“This is a huge deal for us,” he said.
Fans of the show or books, which include Gomez's daughters, will be able to recognize their favorite characters on stage, as they will be dressed accordingly.
To stay true to the look of the PBS series, colorful costumes were made by a professional seamstress in California.
The costumes are “very bright and happy,” Gomez said.
Masks were made by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
“It took about a year to get these masks made,” Gomez said. “The masks and the costumes look just like the characters you would see in the show.”
Gomez said the cast of dancers began practicing for the half-hour production more than a year ago.
“Everyone has worked so hard on this,” she said.
Even the older teenagers in the ballet committed to the project, despite its silliness and the fact that it's based on a children's book, Gomez said.
She encourages people to escape with their children to something fun.
“Sometimes it's just nice to sit and laugh for the sake of laughing,” Gomez said.
What: “Angelina Ballerina's Big Audition” and “The Elves and the Shoemaker” When: 4 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday Where: David W. Reid Theatre at the Chapman Cultural Center Tickets: $15 More info: Call 542-2787