Deanna School of Dance gears up for ‘Peter and the Wolf’
The future stars at the Deanna School of Dance are to stage a world renowned ballet “Peter and the Wolf” later on this month. “This is our junior school production,” Principal, Natasha Jayasuriya tells us. Ideal for the younger performers, the ballet comes with a running narrative voice, “so they can relate to and understand what they are doing.” Showcasing their potential, the juniors are excited to bring ‘Peter and the Wolf’ to life on June 23 and 24 at the Bishop’s College Auditorium.
Encouraging participation, two separate casts for the main roles are warming-up to tell the well-known tale. Set in a scenic Russian village, by the edge of a forest the ballet depicts the story of Peter, who is a mischievous little boy. Defying his grandfather, he is lured into the forest by his animal friends- a bird and a duck followed by the lazily reluctant fat cat.
Once in the forest things go wrong. The furious grandfather drags Peter back home, to keep him safe from wolves. But his friend, the duck, is not out of danger and Peter once again rushes to the rescue. The version to be staged is an adaptation, “We’ve had to add in some parts” Natasha shares. Flurries of butterflies and armies of squirrels are the school’s personal touch on the famous recital piece. These additions however don’t dilute the nature of the ballet according to the Principal and many elements like the style of dancing and orchestral music will be central to the production.
Tickets for ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by the Deanna School of Dance are priced at Rs. 2000, 1500, 1000, 750 and Rs. 500 for balcony. Tickets can be purchased at the school’s premises at No. 30/63H Longden Place Colombo 07.