Ballet Theatre to present Classics and More May 17 and 18

The Ballet Theatre of Dover’s annual spring offering of Classics and More will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 17, and 2 p.m., Sunday, May 18, at the In-Studio Theatre at Tudor Enterprise Park on South Little Creek Road in Dover.

The performances will feature a wide spectrum of pieces from classical ballet to contemporary. “Pas De Quatre," the most famous ballet of the Romantic Age, featured the greatest ballerinas of that time - Fanny Cerrito, Lucille Grahn, Carlotta Grisi and Marie Taglioni.  Taglioini also debuted in another famous piece of the Romantic Age, “La Sylphide.” It was first premiered in Paris in 1832 with choreography by Philippe Taglioni, Marie’s father. During the premiere of the ballet, Taglioni revolutionized classical ballet at that time by rising on her toes, now known as dancing on pointe.

In 1836, a young choreographer, Auguste Bournonville, who danced with Taglioni, choreographed the version that has been danced unbroken since then.  In 1972, a young French choreographer, Pierre La Cotte, re-created “La Sylphide” for The Paris Opera Ballet. His version is based on prints, notes and archival materials from the ballet’s premiere.The BTD version derives from both versions - the Bournonville one has a lot of authentic flavor and pathos, while the Paris Opera Ballet version has some very exciting dancing.

The ballet is set in the highlands of Scotland and features an exciting Scottish reel in Act I. It tells the story of a young farmer, James, who is getting married that day. A Sylph (wood fairy) shows herself at the window and declares her love for him, telling him that she has followed him and protected him for years when he went hunting in the forest. During the wedding, she succeeds in enticing him to follow her to the forest. Dances from the ballet will feature the famous Scottish reel and the dances of the Sylphs from Act 2.

“Back to Bach,” music of Johann Sebastian Bach, explores the complex rhythms of some of  Bach’s famous pieces and how his music can translate to timeless themes and adaptation.

Dover dancers Jasmine Urban, 17, and Sara Biscardi, 24, will dance the role of the Sylph, a truly challenging task. Guest dancer Sergio Alvarez performs the role of James, who pursues the Sylph and abandons his fiance on their wedding day. Alvarez is originally from Bogota, Colombia. He just finised a season with the Detroit Ballet and has performed in a wide variety of classic and contemporary works.

Tickets are $10 for reserved seating and $6 for open seating. Purchase tickets by calling the Dance Conservatory at 302-734–9717.  Tickets can also be purchased an hour before performances. Visit the Ballet Theatre of Dover at www.dancebtd.com. Like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dancebtd.