Previews: CINDERELLA BALLET at Ovations Repertory Company

Ovations Repertory Company is bringing a beloved fairytale to the stage with a sweeping new production of the ballet Cinderella. The performance will fill Sickles High School with the energy of a young cast discovering the story through movement, discipline, and character.

Supervising Director Orlando Pena sees the production as a natural extension of Ovations’ mission to expose dancers and audiences to a broad range of styles and musical traditions. “In this case, it’s Sergei Prokofiev,” he said. “The public may know Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and might only associate Cinderella with the Disney story.”

From the earliest rehearsals, Pena recognized something distinctive taking shape. “From the very beginning, the dancers embraced the new and adapted to the music and choreography. They are developing a strong technical foundation, and as rehearsals progress, they are embracing the story through movement.”

For Pena, technique and storytelling are inseparable. “Dancers are also actors. You must feel to dance. It’s all one, and that is how we approach it.”

Watching the cast grow into their roles has been one of the most rewarding parts of the process. “They are experiencing our passion and love of the art of ballet, and most importantly, the discipline.”

For Cast A’s Cinderella, Grace Crithfield, stepping into the role was a moment of pure joy. “I was very excited and screamed, then texted all my friends,” she said. “I watched the ballet to see what I would be doing and embraced the style.” She has found a personal connection to the choreography, especially one scene that blends classical technique with emotional depth. “I love the broom dance. It’s classical but emotional.”

Crithfield is shaping a Cinderella who is both gentle and strong, guided by the people who inspire her. “My mom and teachers are teaching me to be a sweet, good person, but also a strong individual with my own opinions.” She values the collaborative spirit of the production. “I love Miss Virginia and Mr. Orlando, and I like being able to dance and pantomime with my friends to tell a story.” When she imagines young audience members watching her on stage, she hopes they experience “the beauty of ballet, live music, and see me dance — which I love.”

With a committed creative team, and a cast discovering the familiar fairytale from the inside out, Ovations Repertory Company invites audiences into a ballet shaped moment by moment, where young dancers meet Prokofiev’s score as it rises beneath them and the theatre becomes a place of discovery for everyone watching.

Pena said, “At the heart of every performance is the connection we forge through movement, music, and storytelling. When our dancers step onto the stage, they bring the timeless magic of ballet to life and invite the audience to feel it with them.”