Talent And Teaching Combined With Creativity For Ballet Centre’s Recital

By Shannon Hicks

Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet presented its annual spring performances the weekend of July 14–15. The second recital fully under the leadership of artistic director Jennifer Anne Johnston (who established the Sandy Hook-based studio in August 2001), last weekend’s shows were gorgeous examples of bright dancers under an encouraging teacher who has the gentle strength necessary to pull hidden talents from her students.

Ms Johnston should be extremely proud of all of her dancers. The steps were tight, and positions were held, and even when there was the infrequent misstep the dancers knew not to focus on that but to continue to smile and dance their program. The performances returned this year to the parish hall of St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown.

Many of the dancers not only followed Ms Johnston’s direction in preparing this year’s performance but were also given free reign to choreograph their own short performances and design their own costumes. Members of The Malenkee Ballet Repertoire Company, the studio’s official ballet company, performed their own variations to close the first half of each recital.

With 14 dancers selecting their own music, creating their own choreography, and even designing their own costumes, the performance (as Ms Johnston correctly commented on in her program notes) offered a glimpse at the individuality and expression of each dancer. The music selections ranged from Marilyn Monroe’s classic breathy take of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” and “A Whole New World” from the soundtrack of Disney’s Aladdin to Loreena McKennitt’s “The Mummer’s Dance” and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The USA.”

Regardless of the music, the dancers chiefly stuck to their studio’s core teachings: classical ballet. This was readily apparent in Nikia McFadden’s interpretation of the Beatles’ “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.” Miss McFadden offered a brilliant use of classical steps backed by a psychedelic song. (On the other hand, a few dancers also opted to add some modern, jazzy steps to their routines as well as the classical ballet steps in which they excel.)

Miss McFadden’s costume, like her dancing, was a wonderful bit of simple beauty. She wore white tights and a black leotard coupled with a black tulle skirt highlighted with silver stars. In her hair was a piece of ribbon that matched the fabric of her skirt.

Jenn Agius, who performed to Menken and Schwartz’s “Colors of The Wind,” a song from Disney’s Pocahontas soundtrack, also offered a costume that was brilliant in its simplicity. Hers was white tights and a yellow ballet dress with spaghetti straps accented only with a strip of brown fringe around her waist.

Sasha Geerkin wore a long red satin skirt for her performance to Enya’s music. Her top was heavily embroidered on the front with gold over satin of the same color as her skirt. All of the costumes were wonderful.

Tory Senete’s performance added yet another note of individuality. Her performance was to a track called “He’ll Speak Peace,” which featured her own vocals.

The recital opened with the Malenkee dancers offering Magic Key, the story of two Russian sisters who discover a key that brings to life a number of dolls. Patricia Culligan and Marissa Rogers played the roles of sisters Masha and Sasha, leading a performance that featured music by Delibes, Strauss, and Tchaikovsky.

Variations were performed by the dolls the brought to life, including Tory Senete’s Coppelia Doll, Kelsey Cantore and Miss Geerkin’s Tarantella Dolls, Elizabeth Naphen and Christine Collins’ Marionette Dolls, Meagan Brooks and Jennifer Tichon’s Parisian Dolls, Miss Agius’ Swan Doll, and Angela Lam’s Spanish Doll. The number also included Ballerina Dolls danced by Emily Brewer, Miss McFadden, and Teresa Taylor.

The first half of the recital also included a performance by Jacqueline L. Scahill, who will be graduating this month from New Fairfield High School. Miss Scahill combined some modern steps with her classical training in performing to “He’s A Tramp.”

While the first half of the recital belonged to the advanced students, Ms Johnston’s youngest dancers shared the stage during the second half of the afternoon. Using music by Verdi from the operas I Vespri Siciliani and following choreography done by Marsha Ismailoff Mark and George Volodine in 1979 –– some of the same choreography Ms Johnston herself had danced while she was a dance student of Mrs Mark’s –– the students performed Four Seasons.

With Malenkee dancers handling the more leading roles of Janus, Winter, Spring, Rose, Summer, Mother Deer, Fall, and Trees, the youngest dancers of Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet brought pride to their parents and delight to the entire audience with their performances as Snowflakes, Butterflies, Daisies, Rosebuds, Niads, Baby Deer, Leaves, and Squirrels.