SNOW WHITE: The perfect ‘starter ballet’
By Eva Kahn
On Feb. 23, 2013, internationally acclaimed choreographer, teacher, and director Nelly van Bommel premiered an original production with Ballet Austin II, Ballet Austin’s second company. The ballet, SNOW WHITE, is a rollicking romp through an enchanted forest and into a world of envy, trickery, and true love.
SNOW WHITE boasts a combination of the most celebrated aspects of the fairy tale Snow White — a familiar cast of charming characters, an enticing plot, and a Disney-esque color palate — topped with delightful choreography, performed by highly accomplished dancers. With a running time of just 55 minutes, SNOW WHITE is a perfect family-fun outing and “starter ballet” for young children.
The story starts even before the curtain rises when a cappella German folk music begins, and a narrator sets the scene of the story. The lights come up on a loving king, cradling his daughter “Snow White.” The princess soon blossoms into a jubilant young girl and frolics happily in her garden with an affectionate boy. Snow White is very attractive, much to the dismay of her envious stepmother, who sends a woodsman to threaten the young girl. To escape, Snow White takes to the woods, where she finds a group of rowdy, fun-loving, laugh-out-loud-type friends, the Woodsmen.
Ballet Austin II began rehearsing SNOW WHITE at the start of the 2019/20 season in September. These dancers are young professionals who have mastered the classical ballet technique and are highly adept at contemporary dance. Ballet Austin gives its apprentices the opportunity to dance in a professional environment while still working closely with teachers and choreographers.
Throughout the year, the Ballet Austin II dancers rehearse and perform a small-scale ballet that’s perfect for young audiences. The production also tours around Texas and is performed at schools. Just as SNOW WHITE is an ideal ballet for children who have never before seen one, it is also a chance for Ballet Austin II dancers to hone their acting skills and add character development to their movement.
However, SNOW WHITE is more than just fun and games. There are a number of ways in which the show departs from the traditions of ballet. The soundtrack includes narration and nature sounds, the dancers speak and sing on stage, and the choreography pushes the boundaries of the classical ballet vocabulary. Amidst the rolling, sliding, and stomping, you’ll see intricate partnering and creative movement combinations that embody a range of textures.
Ballet Austin II in SNOW WHITE
Oct. 19–20 and Oct. 26–27
Weekend performances at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
AustinVentures StudioTheater at Ballet Austin | 501 W. 3rd Street
Tickets only $20 at balletaustin.org
