The Snow Queen, an original ballet, premiered at Kendall Theater at College of New Jersey in 2011 and returns to the stage for its second year. DanceVision’s ballet, choreographed by Risa Kaplowitz of West Windsor, is the tale of a young girl’s courageous journey to rescue her beloved from the beautiful, yet evil Snow Queen.
“The story is magical and compelling. It has all the components of a great tale: adventure, humor, joy, and heart. The cast of characters includes robbers, a sorceress, doves, a raven, ice maidens, snow bees, a prince and princess, and even a devil,” says Kaplowitz, the artistic director. “Adults and children alike will enjoy the story, and the characters that guide the audience through it.”
Based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen story, the ballet is performed to a score that includes music by Rimsky-Korsakov and Edvard Grieg. In addition to the music and the choreography, the production features projection artwork as its backdrop to carry the audience on a journey with the characters as they dance from the lively Scandinavian village square to the Snow Queen’s frigid ice castle.
DanceVision’s free pre-performance talk will augment your performance experience. “Whether this is someone’s first ballet, they are unfamiliar with the story of the Snow Queen, or they would like to know more about DanceVision’s approach to professional quality productions, the pre-performance talk will be enriching for everyone,” says Cadence Bowden, president of the DanceVision board of trustees.
WWP dancers include Annabel and Max Azaro; Selin Bayrakli; Zoe Chang; Iris, Josiah, and Leo Foster; Scarlett Hanks; Alexander Inkiow; Adrienne Kaplowitz; Raisa Roberto; Dan Sandford; Eric Simon; Madison Lai; and Esther Sun.
There are several family connections including Madison Lai and Esther Sun of West Windsor, a mother and daughter. Sun was born in China and her father was a visiting professor at University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1979. “He was on the first flight out of China,” she says. She, and her brother, now a neurologist in New York City, studied there in later years.
She met her future husband, Gwanywan Lai, when they were in graduate school in Madison. He was born in Taiwan. After graduate school the couple moved to Michigan where he was a professor and she was an engineer with Ford Motor Company. During their seven years there she earned an MBA — and both of their children were born.
Since they came to the east coast, her husband works with medical devices at J&J in Somerville and she has been a business analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York City for six years.
Their daughter, Madison Lai, is an eighth grade student at Community Middle School. She plays both the violin and the piano. “It’s very time consuming but she does not want to give them up,” says her mother. Madison not only plays violin in the school orchestra; she was also in the regional and state orchestras.
Their son, Christopher Lai, is a sophomore at High School North, where he is on the varsity soccer team. He is also a member of the Princeton Football Club, a traveling football team. “I am a soccer mom and go to all of the games,” she says.
When Sun moved to West Windsor, Princeton Dance Theater was recommended by several people — including Alan Kaplowitz, Risa’s husband, who also works at Morgan Stanley. Madison began taking classes at PDT when she was in the second grade.
“I was driving Madison to classes and discovered that DanceVision offers opportunities for adults to dance,” she says. “I always liked dancing and I danced as a kid.”
She danced in Nutcracker for two years and this is the second year for Snow Queen. “It’s a tradition now,” she says. “My parents come to the show.” This year mother and daughter are in the same scene when Sun plays a gypsy woman and Madison is a gypsy girl.
“I really enjoy the school and the dance,” says Sun. “Risa Kaplowitz focuses on technique, and it’s a high-caliber pre-professional dance company.” Though Madison studies ballet during the school year, she has spent two years in PDT’s summer intensive program where she explores jazz, hip hop, and modern dance.
“I’m glad we have this time together and can bond every weekend,” says Esther.
— Lynn Miller
The Snow Queen, DanceVision, Kendall Hall, College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing. Saturday, December 15, 7 p.m.; and Sunday, December 16, at noon and 4 p.m. Choreographed by Risa Kaplowitz of West Windsor. Projection artwork by Dave Haneman of Plainsboro. More than 70 performers and 140 original costumes. An educational pre-performance talk will accompany each performances one hour before curtain. $25. 609-771-2775. www.dancevisionNJ.org.
