Sleeping Beauty Awakens

Sleeping Beauty is one of those famous ballets that gets bigger and bigger with every production meeting and every rehearsal.  The brilliance of the ballet expands everywhere, Tchaikovsky's music is explosive and powerful in every scene giving the dancers what they love, perfect music for the choreography which has stood the test of time.  The Lilac Fairy has the most beautiful musical arrangement of trust and wisdom while the music for the wicked fairy, Carabosse is boundless and dramatic, perfect for casting her spell.

Our young dancers watch as the story unfolds mesmerised by the more accomplished dancers and can't wait to be on stage for their part in the story.  The magic of dance is everywhere, backstage is just as exciting as being onstage.  

Rehearsals are planned to build confidence and enhance the whole experience for our dancers.  They begin by learning their own choreography in a closed studio, then the most exciting class! trying on their costumes for the first time.  We then begin combined rehearsals with everyone who is in the ballet rehearsing together, this is a special time for our dance students as they watch the story begin to unfold and see everybody else dancing and listening to all the directions and corrections. They get to perform their own dance in front of everyone else.   They watch with joy the more accomplished dancers and see their teachers dancing.  

Theatre rehearsals are next as they eagerly look forward to seeing their group leaders and the rest of their class being seated in the auditorium with a spot for their bags.  Everyone makes their way up on the to the stage ready to start.  This is a very busy couple of hours,  they learn where their stage entrances and exits are without any curtains.  They can clearly see where everyone is backstage and on stage.  

The music starts and plays continuously, their group leaders take them to their respective places backstage and we practice the 'curtain call' which does not make any sense until they are in front of the audience.

Suddenly it is home time, 'home time already' is whispered by lots of people.  Dress rehearsal follows which is also very, very busy as the technicians, the stage manager, our director, the group leaders and cast all working as quickly as possible to meet the time constraints.  

The cast are again mesmerised by backdrops, larger than life sound with the bright lights constantly changing.  Oh! home time again already - next time we will have an audience and the most important thing of all make-up! especially the final touch lipstick.

Heading home after rehearsals

Concentration is key

Everyone in the right place