“Cinderella” – A Fairy-Tale With Familiarity

While many of us are familiar with Cinderella from Walt Disney, this ballet is more complex & adds even more dimension to it. Here are some things you may see differently:

Fairies– While we all know & love Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, there are more fairies in the ballet. The Fairy Godmother calls upon other fairies that present the seasons – Winter, Summer, Spring, and Autumn – to help create Cinderella’s iconic look for the ball. Creating jewelry, turning her rags into a lovely gown, and most importantly, the magic slippers. There’s even a clock fairy that reminds Cinderella when the clock strikes at midnight, she will return to her mundane life as a servant to her stepmother and -sisters.

No dialogue– This fairy-tale does not have any dialogue or ASL signing like the Disney movie. The key components to telling the story are the dancing, acting, and music. The score tells a full range of emotion brilliantly composed by Sergei Prokofiev. With everything conveying the story, most people can understand what is happening without spoken words.

Dance Lesson– In the ballet, Cinderella and her stepsisters get a dance lesson before attending the ball. With the dance master, the stepsisters seem to struggle, but you won’t be able to stop from giggling.

The Stepsisters– As brought up in a previous blog post, the stepsisters are played by male dancers. Read more about this casting!

Cinderella’s Gown– In the film, people recognize Cinderella from her blue gown. Typically, in the ballet you will see her in a white & gold tutu, to look more regal.

Ballet Arizona’s “Cinderella“. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.