On Friday, Oct. 20, the San Diego Ballet School had its opening night for Sleeping Beauty, which delivered everything one could anticipate from ballet. In ballet performances, aesthetics are everything — from the costumes, the set, and the movements of the dancers. The intricate costumes of each dancer were the first thing that caught my eye; every detail was taken into account as each bead and sequin seemed perfectly placed to shine just right in the light. The set was simple, with a backdrop of a castle and the phrase “once upon a time,” but the open space allowed the dancers to stand out while using lighting and shadows to complement the scene.
From the start of the overture, I could tell that this performance was going to be fun and playful. It opened with energetic and fast-paced music that I know was intended to excite the audience, featuring predominantly string and wind instruments to create a dramatic entrance for the performers. When the dancers began to take the stage, I was overcome with nostalgia as I recognized familiar childhood characters like Snow White, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood, whose stories I grew up with. Watching the story unfold with the dancers’ impressive synchronization, especially from the group of fairies, I began to realize how much fun I was having. The quick 90-minute performance of a classic childhood story and its simplicity was something everyone could enjoy and appreciate. The quintessential story of Sleeping Beauty is a romantic fairytale where Aurora pricks her finger and falls into an eternal sleep, only able to be woken up by a true love’s kiss. Although there were no words spoken during the performance, the dancers did an excellent job of storytelling through their facial expressions and meaningful movements. In one standout pairing, Carabosse, the fairy of discord, would often have a mischievous look about her when she would do something bad and paired it with rigid movements to juxtapose herself with the fluidity and grace of the Lilac Fairy. Their precise technique with even the most routine moves of a pas de chat or an arabesque showed the work they put into this performance, but what had the crowd cheering in awe was the impressive lifts and pirouettes they did. One moment that particularly stood out was in the first solo for Aurora and the Prince when he lifted her with such ease, and she melted into him, creating such a fluid and breathtaking moment to watch. The crowd would swell with excitement, cheers, and applause as the dancers kept impressing us with their talent and technique.
An important aspect of this performance was the casting. Amelie Sanchez and Adeline Taulbee were perfectly selected to play Princess Aurora. Their stage presence exuded confidence, and they had the elegance of princesses. I was truly impressed with the talent both young women displayed in front of a large audience. There was nobody better to play the prince than Marshall Whiteley; the moment he came on stage, he fully embraced the Prince Charming role. He had the crowd engaged with laughter and carried a very flirtatious attitude about him that fit perfectly with the performance. His chemistry with Jessica Conniff, who played the oldest Aurora, sealed the whole show because of the way their energy meshed as they worked together and moved as one.
This performance of Sleeping Beauty exceeded my expectations and made me fall in love with ballet even more. The director, Javier Velasco, revived the Italian fairytale while keeping it entertaining and exciting but without changing the original story. He made this show more about the art of dancing than the miming that generally fills the space between each dance number in most ballets. This allowed for a greater appreciation for the skill it takes to perform such a beautiful piece. Typically, the runtime for most ballets is between two and a half to three hours, but this one was shorter than usual, at just about ninety minutes. Although much shorter, the value or satisfaction of watching was not diminished as the quality of production and storytelling exceeded the standards of ballet performances. Seeing the diverse crowd this show attracted showed that all ages find joy in one thing: art. Our common love for art through dance and music made for such a fulfilling evening to share together.
Image courtesy of Times of San Diego
