Dance Teacher Blog: Creating an Original Ballet

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Dance Teacher Blog: Creating an Original Ballet
By Brandy Curry

Creating new content for K-12 dance classes in schools is often difficult if you don't have a budget for shows, recitals, performances or concerts.  I worked at a performing arts high school in Los Angeles and was given a small budget to put on a Winter Ballet.  Being in Los Angeles there are over 50 dance studios that put on The Nutcracker so putting on a Nutcracker was out of the question.

I did some research on my favorite ballet companies, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the English National Ballet.  I looked at their repertory for choreography ideas.  Teaching K-12 ballet is very different than teaching at a private studio; from budgets, to costumes, to commitment.  The K-12 parents are not expecting a dance department to put on a full length ballet.  I emailed the other performing arts faculty and even the english faculty for some ideas.  They all agreed that one of my favorite books, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, would make an excellent ballet!

Christopher Wheeldon had just premiered Alice in Wonderland with the English National Ballet to amazing reviews.  So I watched youtube clips, ordered the DVD, and began writing a script with lighting cues, budget ideas, and choreography notes.

I worked with our Theater Tech class for sets and lights ideas.  I hired a production manager, and divided a few of the scenes with my dance faculty.  Alice in Wonderland premiered on January 27th at the NOHO Arts Center in North Hollywood, CA.

Alice in Wonderland, Artistic Director & Choreographer: Brandy Curry 

We ran for two weeks, and sold out all of our shows.  There was a cast of over 90 dance students ranging from basic level ballet- advanced pointe work.  The dance students were some of the most articulate pantomime and character dancers whom made the ballet come to life.  It wasn't the performance that made it memorable for the dancers, it was the notion that a high school could put on a full length ballet.

Brandy Curry, and two Alice in Wonderland dancers