BWW Reviews: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY at The Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts

There were many children in the audience on Sunday afternoon, and I bet you anything that most of those children will go on to be ballerinas after this inspiring performance of The Sleeping Beauty at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. Is there any ballet more classic than The Sleeping Beauty? It's a story well-known and loved by all, a tale of true love and overflowing with fairy tale characters. The Russian National Ballet Theatre, which was founded in Moscow in the late 1980s, did a splendid job of bringing this story to life. The stunning costumes and scenery also played a huge part in adding to the magic.

Unfortunately, all of the magic of this performance was not enough to overcome the lack of unity within the company. The company did not dance as one, but as a group of individuals, each yearning for the spotlight. When dancing in a line, which the choreography called for multiple times throughout the performance, every little timing flaw or difference in style was made that much clearer. However, I must say that when the company did manage to dance together, their skill and technique allowed the magic of this fairy tale to leave the stage and flow into the audience. This was particularly evident in Act One when the company came together and danced a fun number to the garland waltz, one of the most recognizable numbers from the show thanks to the Disney film adaptation. However, I may be biased toward this number because of the bright colors of the costumers, the flower basket props, and the yearning for spring which it created. The group numbers, however, were not what drew my interest in this performance.

Princess Aurora was so perfectly cast that I was enraptured and hypnotized. With beauty, grace, long lines, high leaps, and her strong and commanding stage presence, Aurora was the definition of a ballerina and princess in one. Aurora encompassed all the traits of a ballerina that the young girls in the audience will one day strive to achieve. I admired her perfect balance, which was tested multiple times as she relevéd on pointe on one foot while prince after prince took turns competing for her heart. Her flexibility, grace, and control while floating across the stage were mesmerizing. It was Aurora's performance that took a good ballet performance and made it outstanding.

The Lilac Fairy must also be recognized for her outstanding technique. She was one of the only ballerinas on stage to have technically flawless bourrés and chaînés, her feet constantly pulled together tightly in a showcase of extensive training. Her dedication and commitment to ballet took her a step above the rest. I must also applaud the performance of the Evil Fairy, who scared even me! He was perfectly terrifying as he crept across the stage, complete with a troupe of monsters and fog floating through his path to create an ominous feel. It wasn't until his appearance and entertaining acting toward the end of Act One that the story truly began to pull me in.

I was not a fan of the recorded music that accompanied this performance, much preferring the beauty of live orchestras at the ballet, which took away from a bit of the performance for me. The casting of Prince Charming was also a bit lacking. He was, at times, clumsy, and forgetful, going so far as to forget the choreography shortly after his grand entrance on stage, which I may not have noticed if he hadn't pulled a face and exclaimed "oh!" I will gladly applaud his spectacular leaps and jumps, however. High jumps and turns are definitely this dancer's forte. While the rest of his dancing and support for his princess may have been lacking, his leaps and turns kept me in awe and more than made up for his somewhat disappointing performance.

This was the first performance I have attended at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College. I must say that if this performance is anything to go by, this venue has much to offer in the way of dance. I look forward to attending future performances. They will be announcing their new season on May 6th, and Brooklyn Center Members will have first dibs on purchasing tickets. You can find out more information on becoming a member at Development@brooklyncenter.com or contact the Membership Department at 718-951-4600.

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