Brianna Boyle (Cinderella) and Dan Higgins (the Prince) rehearse for the performance of “From the Ashes: A Cinderella Ballet.”
Cinderella is coming to the UW campus, but her story ends with more than just a romantic encounter.
The University of Wyoming Theater and Dance Department presents “From the Ashes: A Cinderella Ballet” beginning at 7:30 p.m. tonight on the Fine Arts Main Stage, with other performances also at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday and a Sunday matinee performance at 2 p.m.
Choreographed and directed by Associate Professor Jennifer Deckert, “From the Ashes” is a modern retelling of the classic fairy tale. Deckert uses the traditional story as a framework but redefines it to reflect the modern age. She cites a variety of influences, from yoga with its emphasis on self-exploration to “The Feminine Mystique.” She also looked at societal pressures women face to fit a particular mold and conform to standards.
Deckert maintains the original framework of the story but uses it to build a theme of self-exploration as Cinderella works toward finding the confident, independent woman inside.
While “From the Ashes” explores who Cinderella is, it also has allowed Deckert and the performers to explore who they are.
“Anytime you’re creating an original work, you are pouring your own beliefs onto the stage,” Deckert said.
Choreographing and directing the ballet has given her a way to express her voice and allowed her to feel confident in the woman that she is.
Brianna Boyle, who plays Cinderella in the ballet, said that working on the performance has helped her explore who she is. The Cinderella in the ballet is independent, and having the opportunity to play her has helped Boyle find her own voice.
“I felt, at times, like I couldn’t do something,” Boyle said, but she found an inner strength hidden somewhere and realized she could.
“I learned that being tall is cool,” Julia Cooper , who plays the Fairy Godmother, said. “It’s okay to be six feet tall in the dance world.”
Being tall has its advantages, she added, “like you have longer lines to work with,” but it can also be challenging simply because there are some things that are more difficult for tall people to do.
Deckert said she believes that the traditional Cinderella story still has relevance in modern society.
“We are not looking for an actual prince,” she said. “We are looking for our prince.”
And there is still the expectation of fitting into a mold of perfection in order to attain that prince.
Deckert’s reinterpretation, “From the Ashes,” lets people get deep into the heart of who they truly are. She has a motto that she likes to tell people: You can’t experience true love until you are who you were meant to be.
