Wednesday, May 12, 2010

‘Follow the yellow brick road’

Footlight to perform ‘The Wizard of Oz’ through dance


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Courtesy photo by Aubrey Stephens The Tin Man, the Scarecrow, Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion will dance down the ‘yellow brick road’ Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16.

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my" are just a few things that the Footlight dancers will encounter Saturday as they take the yellow brick road to visit the Wizard of Oz. This trip from Munchkin Land to visit the great and powerful Oz is a little different because it includes 160 dancers performing the classic tale "The Wizard of Oz" through ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop and tap dance.

"We did it in 1998," said Footlight Dance Centre Artistic Director Hilarie Neely. "It was fun then and it's always been in the back of my mind to bring it back when the cast was right."

Neely said the time has come around and the Footlight dancers will perform "The Wizard of Oz" with Brita Gaeddert as Dorothy and Alexandra Haupt as the Cowardly Lion. Both are seniors and have been with Footlight for many years.

Other leads include Mariah Davis as the Scarecrow, Dylan Peterson as the Tin Man, Tori Poole as Glinda the Good Witch and senior Sierra Brand as the Wicked Witch. They will be joined by Footlight dancers Ingrid Peterson, Anne Heiner, Alberta Jefferson, Keah Jones, Annette Taylor, Dakota Barnes and Mia Jefferson.

"When putting together a fairy tale story, the performance has to be animated with dancers who have a sense of acting," Neely said. "I have really talented kids right now who are theatrical and good dancers."

< Neely said everyone knows the story but after 12 years the show is completely different because resources are now available beyond what then existed in libraries, music stores and books.

"It's fascinating," Neely said. "Due to iTunes, we can listen and find so much more music and there are more lighting techniques, stage sets and backdrops, so the dance really stands out."

Choreography for "The Wizard of Oz" was done by Footlight instructors Kassidy Brice, Shellrae Garnes, Julie Fox-Jones, Michele Minailo, Hilarie Neely, Kate Weihe, Anne Winton and Christina Arpp. In addition, the audience can expect creative and colorful costumes as well as bright smiles, from the smallest dancers to Footlight's stars.

Brita Gaeddert (Dorothy) said that through the creative process, the dance family has developed the perfect combination of challenge and support.

Dancer Dakota Barnes said Footlight Dance Centre "allows you to grow as a dancer while developing strong friendships to last a lifetime."

Footlight is sponsored in part by the Blaine County Recreation District and brings programs to children from 4 to high school age throughout the year. Footlight's main studio is at the Community Campus in Hailey with satellite studios at High Altitude Fitness and Nia of Sun Valley in Ketchum, as well as the Grange Hall in Hailey.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com

Performance schedule

Date and time: Saturday, May 15, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 16, at 2 p.m.

Location: Community Campus Theatre in Hailey.

Cost: All tickets $5, available in advance at Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum and The Toy Store in Hailey at the door. Advance purchase of tickets is encouraged.




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