With one flick of her fairy godmother’s wand, Cinderella trades in her glass slippers for pointe shoes in Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre production of the classic story.
Returning to the BRBT stage for the first time since 2010, Cinderella adds classical ballet choreography, beautiful costumes, humor and even audience participation to the beloved fairy tale.
The production combines the stunning choreography that a ballet connoisseur would expect with comedic additions that keep the story engaging for younger audience members, says BRBT marketing and communications director Christine Perkins, who also plays Cinderella’s evil stepmother in the show. Compared to BRBT’s lavish holiday staple The Nutcracker, Cinderella will feel more modern and intimate in its presentation, while still being filled with the elegance that a ballet demands.
“Cinderella is very different from your typical ballet,” Perkins says. “It’s a little bit more of an accessible ballet, because you don’t have to really understand ballet to understand what’s happening in the show.”
The ballet’s narrator and the show’s comedic component make Cinderella one of BRBT’s more kid-friendly productions. For one thing, some audience members might have a chance to try out the glass slipper during one part of the show. The misadventures of Cinderella’s two hilarious stepsisters are another highlight, with their visiting aunt, Mrs. Pickles, providing comic relief as she observes her nieces’ disastrous attempts to win over the prince.
“The stepsisters are almost always men cast as women, and they’re just famously awkward and just as outrageous as possible,” Perkins says.
Comedy aside, BRBT will welcome two accomplished guest dancers in the main roles. Playing the prince is Yosvani Ramos, a skilled Cuban-born dancer who currently performs as principal dancer for the Colorado Ballet. Though he’s traveled the world and performed with ballet companies in England, France, Thailand and Australia, this is Ramos’ first time visiting Baton Rouge.
Dancing as Cinderella is Erin Arndorfer, a young ballerina from Chicago who has trained under the Houston Ballet Academy and the Dutch National Ballet Academy. After seeing Arndorfer perform with the Houston Ballet, BRBT offered her the role of Cinderella, which she quickly accepted. Because Arndorfer now dances professionally with the Colorado Ballet, she asked Ramos to join her as the prince and he agreed. Ever since, the pair has been rehearsing together in Colorado to perfect their “pas de deux,” or dance duet, for the Cinderella finale.
Arndorfer and Ramos join BRBT’s cast of 33 local company dancers and more than 30 children’s roles.
“[Arndorfer] is just fresh, adorable, charming and everything you would hope Cinderella is,” Perkins says. “They are going to be a fantastic match.”
Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s Cinderella
At the River Center Theatre April 13 at 7:30 p.m. and April 14 at 2 p.m. batonrougeballet.org
This article was originally published in the April 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.
