This Saturday, March 30, you can be whisked away to the magical land of ballet and symphony, all in one. Imagine a New York City experience captured in an afternoon or evening right here in Columbia. With both the Columbia City Ballet and our state philharmonic collaborating, it’s a bargain not to be missed. But what if you’re new to such live performance art? What if you’re intrigued by the matinee offering (complete with backstage tour!) but are worried your child might not be ready… What if you’re looking for a unique date night but your partner isn’t so sure…
William Starrett, Artistic Director of the Columbia City Ballet, gave Columbia SC Moms Blog some inside scoop on The Sleeping Beauty and some tips to prepare for the perfect first time experience,
Know the Story
The characters don’t actually speak in ballet! You and your child will feel most at home if you’re already familiar with the basic story outline. Tell your child beforehand that there’s no talking, but there’s pantomiming. Many folks know this particular story, but I would still grab a board book copy and review, google the plot line, or even watch the old Disney film (which also uses much of Tchaikovsky’s score).
Be Prepared to Sit for Awhile
This original ballet was four hours long and Director Starrett has pared it down, making it more appealing for modern audiences. He promises some faster pacing and a few great surprises! Still, consider if your child enjoys focusing on good storytelling for 30-40 minute blocks of time. There are three acts in The Sleeping Beauty, with an intermission between each. You’ll have time for a restroom break and a drink and this mom encourages you to take that break even if you don’t have to go. Tell your child this is a 2 hour (like a movie length) event.
Remember Your Manners
In addition to the usual courtesies – do not talk or make noise during performance, do not eat/drink in theater, and put phones away – Director Starrett gave us some pointers on clapping which I found helpful. You are going to be quite impressed with many things and will want to respond in some way. Consider the music cues, though. If it is a quiet or romantic or mysterious moment in the show, then hold your applause. It will disrupt the performers and other audience members. But, if it is a loud moment in the show, then go ahead and clap, if you’d like. And, by all means, clap at the end of acts if you’ve enjoyed it. It’s actually expected that applause continues until the dancer(s) is off the stage.
I could feel Director Starrett’s excitement during our phone interview. So I asked him when he first experienced ballet and how many times he’d done this particular one. He started lessons at five years old! (It’s a sweet story that you’d never guess, but that’s for another day.) He first danced Sleeping Beauty at age 17 and this is the eleventh time Columbia City Ballet will do this interpretation. They’re actually touring. I wondered what an artistic director does during a performance. So I asked!
“Where will you be and where should I sit….?”
Mr. Starrett said that he will be backstage with his assistant making notes about everything to praise and correct and suggest to the performers after the show. He sounded like the ultimate coach. And he suggested that I sit towards the middle, where I can see the entire stage easily. He also said that I might see Conductor Morihiko’s baton waving a bit, since the entire philharmonic will be playing from the orchestra pit.
I can hardly wait! You get your girls and get prettied up for the afternoon tea and matinee at The Koger Center. I’m taking my middle school boy and husband at 7:30 for the ultimate team collaboration, where the physicality and strength of dancers tells the greatest of stories – and there are no losers.
The Sleeping Beauty performs at The Koger Center in Columbia on March 30 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Reserve your tickets for this one-of-a-kind ballet presentation.
