‘Cinderella’ provides fairy-tale ending to ballet season

The IU Ballet Theater has a reputation for presenting ballets that are far from disappointing, and Friday evening’s performance of “Cinderella” was no exception. \nThe imaginative production, which had its world debut in the spring of 2005 and featured the original choreography of professor of music Jacques Cesbron, was both lively and humorous, with choreography that remained true to traditional movements.\nThe opening scene in this three-act ballet takes place inside Cinderella’s house with Cinderella, senior Catherine Wolfson, scrubbing the floors while her two stepsisters and stepmother, Stephanie Lampe, Whitney Huell and Brittany Balthrop respectively, prepare for “The Prince’s Ball.”\nWithin the first few minutes, it was clear that Cinderella’s stepfamily would serve as the comic relief during the show, and watching the two sisters get dressed for the ball was quite amusing. \nWith faces scrunched into less-than-attractive poses, Lampe and Huell turned their feet in, contorted their bodies into awkward positions and stomped around the stage to successfully capture the stepsisters’ clumsy and childish dispositions.\nFor her part, Balthrop, wearing a grey wig and stage makeup that added years to her youthful face, played a menacing stepmother, adoringly helping her daughters while casting Cinderella aside at every possible moment.\nCinderella is left alone through much of this preparation for the ball and she uses this time to lament her loneliness through dance. With elegant precision, Wolfson was able to dance both thoughtfully and gregariously to appropriately fit with Prokofiev’s versatile score. \nBy the end of the Act 1, the fairy godmother is introduced to Cinderella. She informs her that with the help of the other fairies, which each represent the four seasons, Cinderella will be able to attend the ball. \nAct 2 takes place at the ball. After attempting to dance with both stepsisters, the tall and graceful prince, Joseph Morrissey, an alumnus to the ballet program, welcomes the company of Cinderella, who executes her steps perfectly. \nThe two seem to exist entirely alone, captivated by each other in such a way that when the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella is jolted to a reminder that soon she will be back in rags. To emphasize the hour, a large clock was lowered to the stage so as not to be missed.\nCinderella dashes away and Act 3 begins with the prince vowing to find her, no matter how far he must look. He, along with the Jester, who was played by alumnus Christopher Nachtrab, leaped and jumped across the stage until finally arriving at Cinderella’s house. After a comical exchange with both the stepsisters attempting to wear the shoe, Cinderella and her prince are reunited.\nThe last scene is a lovely duet between Wolfson and Morrissey, who complement each other well. The final moment takes place under a spotlight with Morrissey twirling Wolfson around as confetti rains down on them. It’s the perfect ending to a near flawless production.