Risa Kaplowitz, a West Windsor resident, former principal dancer with Dayton Ballet and Manhattan Ballet, and a board member of the West Windsor Arts Council, choreographed the premiere of “The Secret Garden,” opening on Saturday, May 17, at Montgomery High School. The inspiration for the original ballet was based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic book, “The Secret Garden.”##M:[more]##
“When I read this book to my daughter, I realized that it would make a beautiful ballet,” says Kaplowitz. “The passion for the ballet bloomed when the music was chosen. Claude Debussey and Jules Massenet wrote some of the most glorious and theatrical music I have ever heard. To me, it seems as if the music was written for the story.”
Her vision has come true through the 60-member dance ensemble and the art of Dave Haneman of Plainsboro, the production manager. “Unique to this production will be the use of projection art scenery instead of the traditional use of backdrops,” she says. Haneman will provide each act with different moving projections as scenery, following Mary’s move from India to England and through the various rooms of Misselthwaite Manor to the secret garden.
“My goal is to have the audience feel the mysterious transformation of the garden from its dreary, dead-like state to the wonderfully alive and colorful garden that it becomes, filled with dancing flowers, rabbits, foxes, spiders, bees, and even dancing rain,” says Haneman.
“Like the book, not all of the ballet is rosy,” says Kaplowitz. “There are several powerful moments in the story and it was important for me to include them in the ballet.”
The Secret Garden, Princeton Dance and Theater Studio, Montgomery High School, 1014 Route 601, Skillman, 609-514-1600. www.dancevisionnj.org. $15. Saturday, May 17, 7 p.m.; Sunday, May 18, at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m.
WW-P dancers include Phoebe Sandford, High School South; Drew Nelson, Juliet Martone, and Grace Sandford, Community Middle School; Valentina Kozina, Grover Middle School; Alexander Inkiow, Village School; Lynna Ye, Sophia Tian, and Leora Senter, Millstone River School; and Adrienne Kaplowitz and Katrina Meni, Maurice Hawk. Adult dancers include Robert Martone, Wendy Schutzer, and Jutta Gruner.
