Dancers get ready to fly across the stage
Published 10:01 am Wednesday, May 9, 2012
What does it take to bring a ballet to the stage?
Practice, practice, practice.
A bevy of beautiful and strong young dancers has spent several months preparing to raise the curtain on Blue Heron Dance Company’s production of “Giselle,” slated for three performances this weekend at Vashon High School.
The evenings will also include original works, choreographed by Blue Heron dancers, and “Under the Big Top,” a circus-themed mini-ballet for tiny dancers ages 3 to 6.
The whole production — involving almost 100 Island dance students — has been overseen by Blue Heron Dance Company artistic director Christine Juarez.
“Giselle,” a classic ballet first performed in Paris in 1941, is set in the Middle Ages in Rhineland. It tells the poignant and passionate tales of a disastrous romance between a peasant girl and prince.
Camille Kappelman, high school senior, will perform the title role in the ballet, capping years spent growing up in the Blue Heron dance program. Veronica Jannetty, another longtime Blue Heron student, will dance the principal role of Bathilde. Other principals include Cornish College for the Arts danseur Sam Opsal, Katherine Misel, Meg Sayre, Sarah Kai Schwartz and Quinn McTighe.
“Giselle” and other works will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12, and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, at VHS.
All Island children are invited to an abbreviated version of the dance concert at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 11. Tickets to that show are $5 per person. All others are $10/$13 and on sale at VAA, Heron’s Nest, the Vashon Bookshop and www.brownpapertickets.com.
