The Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre is bringing a classic novel and movie to the stage; Alice in Wonderland for two performances only, Friday, April 6 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, April 7 at 2:00 pm. This will be the second time the company has produced Alice in Wonderland, the last time being 5 years ago in 2013. Alice in Wonderland is a popular story that will be sure to entertain adults and children alike as well as fans of the art of dance and live theatre.
The idea for this ballet came to ESBT’s artistic director Elena Manakhova-Amy in 2012 when she saw the ballet performed by the National Ballet of Canada at the Kennedy Center. After the performance, Manakhova-Amy said to herself “We should do this in Salisbury!”.
“I was inspired by the story and thought this was an opportunity to do something unique, quirky and fun,” said Manakhova-Amy. It took her about a year to choose the music and to create the choreography for this ballet. She wanted to show the other side of ballet, “this is not a typical classic ballet— the style of the choreography is contemporary”, she said.
With approximately 60 dancers, all who are from the Eastern shore, and a set designed for dynamic visual impact, this production is a must see! During the performance, there will be several glow in the dark sequences where dancers animate fluorescent props. Particularly inventive are the sea of tears and the scene in which the Cheshire Cat dematerialize.
This production will surely be a treat for all ages. Make sure to catch one of the two performances for the ESBT’s 27th spring production!
Since Alice in Wonderland was founded in 1991 by Betty Webster and a group of community-minded citizens, the Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre has served as a classical venue for providing young people with the practical experience necessary to pursue a career in dance. Auditions are open to any dancer from Delmarva and are held in August and September every year—for more details please visit their website, https://esbt.org/ and follow them on social media, Facebook and Instagram.
Photo Credit: Ginger Springer
