Ballet, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Score and Collaborative Principles Come Together in BYU Theatre Ballet Studio Company’s New Version of “Carnival of the Animals”
Inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’ musical score, BYU Theatre Ballet Studio Company dancers symbolically represent the act of “becoming” through their production of “Carnival of the Animals.” Witness the three sisters embark on a journey to learn how to shift their tendencies away from pride, fear and recklessness and instead embrace qualities of initiative, thoughtfulness and instinct. Along the way, they meet animals who represent child-like qualities of playfulness, courage, trust, collaboration and hope. These interactions help the sisters strengthen relationships, problem-solve and build character.
“We took liberties with the word ‘carnival,’ which comes from the Latin ‘carn’ (flesh) and ‘levare’ (put away),” said Hilary Wolfley, director of Theatre Ballet Studio Company. “Rather than a circus carnival, our carnival is a process of putting away the natural man or woman and becoming more sanctified in the process.”
The end of the ballet features a restaging of “The Dying Swan,” originally choreographed by Mikhail Fokine and performed by Anna Pavlova in 1905. Wolfley was inspired by something Fokine told dance critic Arnold Haskell in 1934: that the meaning of “The Dying Swan” was not to showcase technique, but to “create the symbol of the everlasting struggle in this life and all that is mortal.”
“The struggle Fokine mentioned can be abated in returning to and renewing the child-like qualities that our protagonists explore,” Wolfley said. “As you see their journey unfold in ‘Carnival of the Animals,’ we hope you, like them, find joy, reflection, amusement and renewal.”
The performance will also include two pieces, “Italian Suite” by Gerald Arpino and “Weathering” by adjunct faculty member Maile Johnson, performed by guest dancers from BYU Theatre Ballet.
Performance Details:
Date and Time:
- November 7-9 | 7:30 p.m.
- Please Note: A show has been added on Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
- November 9 | 2:00 p.m.
Location: RB Dance Performance Theatre
Price: Starting at $12
Tickets: Available online at onstage.byu.edu