Ballet INitiative has put its own spin on the story of “Cinderella.”
The company will present “Cinderella’s Stardom: From Simple to Show Girl” June 3-4 at the Basile Theatre at the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis. The shows are at 7:30 p.m. June 3 and 2:30 p.m. June 4.
Christina Voreis, Ballet Initiative’s executive director, is helping direct along with co-founders Lauren Nasci and Ola Tarnowski. Nasci and Voreis are Carmel residents and Tarnowski lives in Indianapolis.
Cinderella is danced by Tarnowski and The Fairy Godmother is portrayed by Casie Lennon, an Indianapolis resident.,
“A new role we have in our version is the Audition Director played by Ashley Thibodeau,” Voreis said. “Rather than going to a ball in Act 2, Cinderella goes to a theater-dance show audition and the Audition Director plays a key role in leading the audition and choosing her lead dancer.”
Thibodeau, a Carmel resident, owns The Ballet Studio of Carmel.
Voreis said one of the more challenging aspects of staging the production is scheduling rehearsals.
“A big part of Ballet INitiative’s mission is to be a supportive environment for our dancers and their lives outside of the dance studio,” Voreis said. “All of our dancers work multiple jobs in addition to dancing with us, and we do our best to support that and work around their schedules. We are also supportive of our dancers’ families and oftentimes we have babies and children with us in the studio.
“Despite sometimes not having a full cast available for rehearsals, we pride ourselves in the fact that the show always comes together in the end and that we have given our artists the flexibility throughout the process.”
Voreis said Ballet INitiative thrives on working as a team to create unique twists on classic ballets.
“Through collaboration amongst directors, dancers and choreographers, the story of ‘Cinderella’s Stardom’ was brought to life,” she said.
For more, visit balletinitiative.org.
