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By Sammi Sowerby / Follow @sammi.in.shanghai on Instagram
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Published on February 24, 2014
Photo Courtesy of New York Theatre Ballet
And... Dance at the Ball as a Guest at the Royal Wedding of Cinderella and Prince Charming!
at Florence Gould Hall 55 East 59th Street, Manhattan
March 1 & 2 at 11AM, 1PM, and 3:30PM
Tickets to Cinderella: $40 for adults and $35 for children. To order visit www.nytb.org, call Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787, or purchase in-person at the Florence Gould Hall box office.
Tickets to Cinderella’s Ball: $50. To order call 1-212-679 0401 extension #5 or email reservations@nytb.org
This month The Dance Enthusiast was lucky enough to dance up close to New York Theatre Ballet as the company rehearsed for everyone’s favorite ‘rags to riches’ story – “Cinderella.” Choreographed by Donald Mahler, NYTB’s “Cinderella” is unlike most other versions of the fairytale; for instance, Mahler’s vision for the live performance includes a dancing clock and wacky (instead of evil) stepsisters.
Meet Cinderella and Prince Charming!
Throughout the rehearsal, it became increasingly apparent that Artistic Director Diana Byer possessed exceptional familiarity with her dancers’ personalities and plus points. She encouraged them to transform into their characters while playing on their personal strengths.
New York Theatre Ballet's Artistic Director Diana Byer on Casting Cinderella and Live Theater's Importance
Two of the company’s principal dancers, Elena Zahlmann and Rie Ogura, will step into Cinderella’s glass slippers for the production. Interviews with Zahlmann and Steven Melendez, who plays Prince Charming, were eye-opening as to how artists in dance companies often grow up together.
“Cinderella's Ball” is a one-time event following March 2nd’s 3:30pm performance. Guests attending Cinderella and Prince Charming’s Royal wedding have the rare opportunity of interacting with the same characters they’d watched on stage.There will be ballroom lessons, arts and crafts, games and prizes, treats for the little ones, and wine for adults. Costumes are highly suggested!
Just for Fun: A Dance Enthusiast Minute with The Stepsisters
Follow Sammie Lim on @ilikeloofahs on Twitter
More Information
New York Theatre Ballet: www.nytb.org
Choreographer: Donald Mahler
Artistic Director: Diana Byer
Costume Designer: Sylvia Taalsohn Nolan
Set Designer: Gillian Bradshaw-Smith
Cast:
Cinderella – Elena Zahlmann/Rie Ogura
Prince Charming – Steven Melendez
Fairy Godmother – Brianna Steinfeldt
Fairies – Melissa Sadler and Rie Ogura/Elena Zahlmann
Ugly Stepsisters – Mitchell Kilby and Michael Wells
Stepmother – Amanda Treiber
Dancing Master – Seth Ives
Ballroom Women – Amanda Treiber, Alexis Branagan, Carmella Lauer
Ballroom Men - Choong Hoon Lee, Seth Ives, George Sanders
Major Domo – Dan Renkin
