home :: events & schedules :: performances :: Alice in Wonderland and Carnival of the Animals
Events & Schedules
Performances
Alice in Wonderland and Carnival of the Animals
March
7 and 8, 2009
King College Prep High School
A large and appreciative audience attended our presentation of Alice in Wonderland and Carnival of the Animals, which showcased the talent, hard work, and commitment of more than 65 HPSD dancers, ages five to 17.
Artistic Director August Tye originally choreographed Alice in Wonderland for the Kalamazoo Ballet in 1991. Set to music by Johann Strauss, the work was previously performed by HPSD dancers in 2001 and 2003. Tye has revamped the choreography each year: “It’s important to remold the choreography to fit the new cast each time the work is produced. Every dancer has something special to offer and it’s important to show their strengths,” she said.
Opening the performance was another HPSD favorite, Carnival of the Animals, set to the music of Camille Saint-Saens and bringing to life the composer’s various musical fauna: lions, chickens, elephants, kangaroos, donkeys, swans, turtles, birds, and fish. First created on a cast of very young HPSD dancers in 1995, Carnival has been restaged three times since its premiere. The 2009 production featured new choreography by HPSD Associate Artistic Directors Allyson Ratliff and Sarah Ford Thompson.
Below, snapshots from Alice in Wonderland and Carnival of the Animals 2009.
