A Cinderella for all times

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This article was published 12/05/2022 (1583 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet got its groove on Wednesday night as it closed its 2021-22 season with A Cinderella Story, throwing off more flash than a ballroom mirror-ball while showing the opening night crowd a ring-a-ding-ding of a good time.

Not staged locally since 2016, the San Francisco-based choreographer Val Caniparoli’s funky fairy-tale ballet whisks viewers back to the 1950s halcyon days of TV dinners and Desert Flower body lotion, inspired by an actual television broadcast of Broadway icons Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s Cinderella, in turn based on a libretto by Sheryl Flatow.

The 135-minute work (including intermission) also showcases the inestimable talents of legendary Winnipeg jazzman Ron Paley, still swinging as hard as he did during the show’s RWB premiere in October 2004. A 24-piece big band tucked onto a raised orchestra pit performed Paley’s masterfully crafted arrangements of Rodgers’ hit songs including This Can’t Be Love, Thou Swell and My Romance.

Soloist Elizabeth Lamont brought requisite innocence to her lead role as the bespectacled Nancy, a.k.a. Cinderella, who solves all of life’s woes with nifty body isolations and a can-do spirit. Her transformation into a more glamorous version of herself during the Starlight Ballroom’s “big reveal” scene proved this always-radiant dancer’s chameleonic acting abilities, able to stir our hearts as during her truly tender pas de deux performed on pointe with her pilot Father (second soloist Liam Caines) prior to his tragic death — or inspire gales of laughter as she cavorts with her BFF (best fur friend), Dog.

Second soloist Stephan Azulay brought swaggering ease to his role of Bob — the doppelganger for Nancy’s Prince Charming — tossing off the San Francisco-based choreographer’s tricky jazz combinations during his solo at Arthur Murray’s dance studio; able to hit his accents contrasted by fleeting moments of suspended grace. His expressions of mock horror as the corps de ballet women flock back to the ballroom the next day to win his favours after Nancy’s abrupt midnight exit were priceless.

Final RWB productions of the year are always bittersweet as retiring RWB dancers hang up their ballet slippers for good to pursue other career opportunities. This time, it’s soloist Yosuke Mino’s turn, with the beloved dancer reprising one of his signature roles as Dog. His bounding solo in Act I showcased his renowned powerhouse athleticism and unbridled joy that has lit up this stage for 20 years, with this wonderful company treasure to be dearly missed in coming years. Bravo and thank you for your enthralling artistry.

Second soloist Jaimi Deleau is given one of the show’s more delicious roles as Stepmother, her haughty portrayal convincing if not at times overly balletic with Caniparoli’s choreographic mash-up of Broadway, ballroom and classical dance styles. Corps de ballet member Amanda Solheim’s Fairy Godmother characterization will also likely flesh out as the run continues.

The two Stepsisters, danced by principal dancer Chenxin Liu and second soloist Katie Bonnell strut and preen — as they should — bullying Nancy and her pooch, before later throwing themselves at Bob.

The company cut loose during Act I’s white hot Garden scene, in which a menagerie of imaginative creatures — including a nattily tuxedoed Penguin (principal dancer Yue Shi), Skunk, Flamingo, Duck, Rabbit, Peacock, among others — jam and jive before transforming Nancy into the belle of the ball. The dancers and full band now wailing on take-no-prisoners blues held nothing back, their exuberance at being back onstage palpable, like they could have gone on forever.

The production rounds out with evocative lighting and sound design by Alexander V. Nichols, albeit several times dancers were dancing in murky shadows. Sandra Woodall added further pizazz with luscious, Givenchy-inspired taffeta and tulle costumes, as well as the mid-20th century set including a starburst clock and console TV set that morphs into Nancy’s Chevrolet she drives to the ball.

As expected, the mixed generation crowd leapt to its feet at the end with a rousing standing ovation, even dancing in the aisles as the final curtain fell and the band played on.

The production runs through Sunday, May 15. For tickets or further information, go to rwb.org.

holly.harris@shaw.ca