Review: CINDERELLA at Ballet Des Moines

There is a magic that only happens when seeing a show live. Sometimes it comes from a special effect, and other times from the beauty of telling a story. When that magic happens, it becomes a memory that will last not till midnight, but for a lifetime. On May 16, I got to experience that magic when Ballet Des Moines and the Des Moines Symphony partnered to present Sergei Prokofiev's "Cinderella." The full house and standing ovation showed this partnership is the kind of magic audiences want to see continue in Des Moines.

With several versions of "Cinderella," here is a short synopsis of the ballet version. The show starts, and we see Cinderella tending to her stepmother, Barbarra, and her stepsisters, Maxxie and Minnie. When they leave Cinderella alone in the house, she dreams of what her life could be. Maxie then brings her a gift, showing her kindness.  Before long, Barbarra and Minnie show back up to prepare for the ball.  Barbarra tears up the invitation for Cinderella, so she isn't able to go to the ball. Once they leave for the ball, the Fairy Godmother invites the spirits of the four seasons to help, and they do the magic we are all accustomed to with the story.

As soon as the symphony began playing under the direction of guest conductor Jared Oaks, I was transported to the world of the story. I appreciated that, at the top of the first two acts, we were given a little time to bask in the beautiful music. The music became its own character within the story.

The choreography throughout the evening by resident choreographer Tom Mattingly was stunning to watch. Especially when it was performed on stage with such luminaries from Ballet Des Moines, which included Megan Boyette as the beautiful Fairy Godmother, Savanah Cox as the deliciously evil Barbara, the stepmother, and Jordan Powers and Cameron Miller as the comedic stepsisters, Minnie and Maxie. Mattingly's choreography brought out the best in each of these performers.  I also appreciated that he used young dancers, showcasing the ballet's commitment to enriching lives through education.

What had me transfixed during the evening were the times that Amelia Grub Hillman as Cinderella and Eddie Kidd as the Prince came together for a pas de deux at the end of Act 1 and Act 2. Both times I watched, I found myself in awe of the strength and beauty these phenomenal dancers brought to the stage.

One of the things I've appreciated with both shows, now that I've seen the ballet, is how they partner with the community to make ballet accessible to as many people as possible. Partnering with the Des Moines Symphony brings ballet to people who may not have experienced it before but enjoy the symphony's beautiful music.  By telling a story familiar to children, several families brought their children to the ballet for the first time. The other partnership that brought people in was through the Des Moines Public Library, where just by showing your library card, you could get a free ticket to the ballet, removing the cost barrier for those who needed it, making this truly a performance accessible to all.

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