News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Logan McSwain, communications manager
704.372.0101 x2765
lmcswain@ncdance.org
Photographs: http://www.ncdance.org/ImageLibrary.asp
Contact Logan McSwain to obtain username and password.
North Carolina Dance Theatre presents
May 16 & 17 2009
Charlotte, N.C. - Back by popular demand, North Carolina Dance Theatre presents two matinees of Snow White at the Belk Theater May 16 and 17, 2009. The two-act ballet, choreographed by Mark Diamond, blends humor and dance to transport audiences into the world of the classic children’s fairytale.
Diamond has choreographed over 30 ballets for NC Dance Theatre, including other family-favorites such as Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid and Peter and the Wolf. “Mark has a real flair for children’s stories,” said Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, NC Dance Theatre president and artistic director. “He has a great sense of humor that children easily connect with.”
Bringing Snow White to life are the professional dancers of NC Dance Theatre and NC Dance Theatre 2, along with NC Dance Theatre apprentices, trainees and young students from the NC Dance Theatre School of Dance. NC Dance Theatre’s production features colorful costumes designed by Diamond, lighting designed by Nate McGaha and musical excerpts from Sylvia, Peer Gynt Suite and Tarantella.
In Diamond’s Snow White, audiences can look forward to a great chase scene, when characters make their way into the audience chamber, and a wedding celebration, when characters are able to show off their personalities through dancing. The Seven Dwarves have individualized costumes that illustrate their unique qualities. For example, Sinusy is a farmer who can't stop sneezing, Drowsy is a leprechaun who falls asleep at almost any moment, and Grouchy, the leader, is a very gruff, cavalier type.
“Snow White was choreographed and designed specifically as a family fairytale ballet, that doesn't stray from the original story,” said Diamond. “It is designed to be very colorful and magical, with as much humor as possible. There are jokes directed at both children and adults.”
Snow White Synopsis
In the time of fairytales there lived a beautiful, but evil, Queen. The Queen was very jealous of her young step-daughter Snow White, who was more beautiful than the Queen. She was so jealous that she ordered to have Snow White killed. Through the kindness of the Huntsman, Snow White escapes deep into the dark forest, where she has exciting adventures and meets fascinating new friends. However, the Evil Queen discovers Snow White is still alive and flies into a rage, disguising herself as a very old woman and searching for Snow White in the hope of giving her a poisonous apple. Let us hope that Snow White can be rescued and protected from the wicked plans of the Evil Queen!
About the Choreographer
Mark Diamond, program director for NC Dance Theatre 2, has choreographed and taught in Europe, Japan and the U.S. since retiring from the Hamburg Staatsoper in Germany in 1983. In the summer he serves as associate artistic director and resident choreographer for Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux at the Chautauqua Institution. Before joining Dance Theatre, Diamond was resident choreographer for the Cincinnati Opera, founded Ballet Artists Cincinnati, and received grants from the Ohio Arts Council, the New England Foundation for the Arts and others. Diamond was a principal dancer with the Milwaukee Ballet Company, danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Tamburitzans Slavic Folk ensemble. He trained with Edward Caton and attended Duquesne University and Point Park College, where he studied music, history and dance.
Snow White Details
Dates: May 16, 2009, at 2 p.m.
May 17, 2009, at 2 p.m.
Location: Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, N.C.
Tickets: Student Rush $10 (with ID); Tickets start at $25
Groups of 10 or more receive discounts off the regular price of tickets. Call 704.379.1380 to find out about group tickets.
NC Dance Theatre is offering a family four-pack to Snow White on Saturday, May 16, for $85. Tickets are located in Orchestra II and include admission into NC Dance Theatre’s post show Matinee Magic celebration. At the celebration, usually reserved for subscribers, family four-pack ticket buyers can enjoy Brixx pizza, meet Snow White characters and take home a poster signed by the cast. Family four-pack tickets are available at this link or by using the promo code SNOWWHITESAVINGS at carolinatix.org.
Ticket Purchasing Details:
Online: ncdance.org
By phone: 704.372.1000
In person: Blumenthal Performing Arts Center Box Office
Belk Theater Lobby
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also in May
NC Dance Theatre presents Othello, a world premiere by Dwight Rhoden, May 14-16 at the Belk Theater. Rhoden’s Othello takes a modern day look at the Shakespearian classic. Rhoden is joining forces with composer David Rozenblatt, who is creating an original score for Othello. Also on the program is the return of Nacho Duato’s Na Floresta (“in the forest” in Portuguese), an ecologically conscious and emotionally charged ballet that praises the beauty of the Amazonian rainforest.
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Details:
North Carolina Dance Theatre is supported, in part, with operating support by the Arts & Science Council. Dance Theatre is also supported by individuals, corporations, and local and national foundations; the North Carolina Arts Council; ArtsTeach; and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more, visit ncdance.org.
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