Bossov’s ‘Cinderella’ enchants audience Dancing, choreography outstanding

WATERVILLE – Great choreography takes into account the talents of the performers, and goes one step further. It ensures that the smaller parts are just as essential to the whole as the star roles.

One expects great choreography from Andrei Bossov, who spent 20 years with the Russian Kirov Ballet before founding a dance school affiliated with Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield.

Bossov delivered that choreography, set to Prokofiev’s score, last weekend as the Bossov Ballet Theater presented three shows of “Cinderella” at the elegant Waterville Opera House.

Elyse Sparkes made a delightful Cinderella, from the moment she started dancing with her broom as though it were a handsome suitor.

Whether in heels or on pointe in ballet shoes, the young lady allowed her spirit to carry her across the stage in pirouettes and jetes.

Prince Charming, of course, should be charming and of royal bearing, and Steve Lawrence was all of that.

Scheduled to study this summer at the American Ballet Theatre school in Dallas, the young man showed his tremendous love of leaping and turning.

Sparkes and Lawrence made great partners, as well, augmenting the good unison in their dancing with appropriate facial expressions as the plot allowed.

Renee Paradis as the stepmother, and Amy Brown and Stacey O’Donal as the stepsisters – parts danced by Samantha Bryan and Andrea Michaud for one of the three performances – were a terrific counterpoint to Sparkes’ Cinderella.

The dancers brought energy and attitude to their parts as the over entitled, oblivious family members of the servant-girl-turned-princess.

Shelby Dyer was an enchanting fairy godmother, transforming herself from lowly beggar to Cinderella’s beautiful protector.

The Bossov production was infused with humor, including the performance of Heinrick Snyder as the dance teacher who tried to prepare the stepsisters for the fancy ball.

Inventive costume design, by Paula Pelletier and by a group headed by Linda Wyly, added to the fanciful performances of several groups of dancers – bluebirds and baby bluebirds, grasshoppers, autumn leaves, snow, heralds, courtiers, Cinderella’s escorts and orange bearers.

The scene with Prince Charming beginning his search for the mate to the lost slipper was creatively set in front of the closed stage curtain. Cobblers offered the prince all manner of footwear, from an L.L. Bean-style boot to a snowshoe, prompting laughter from the audience.

Totally adorable were the young dancers who played the dozen gnomes, carrying clock signs to remind Cinderella she must be back by the stroke of midnight.

She was late, of course, but a persistent prince found her and they lived happily ever after.

As for the audience, Friday’s was full of mighty proud parents and other relatives, as well as area dance lovers.

Children in the audience were mesmerized by the colorful costumes and the stage full of dancers.

Eight-year-old Tess McLaughlin, a pupil of Thomas School of Dance in Bangor, said the performance was very good and her favorite character was the fairy godmother.

Bossov Ballet Theater will perform “Alice in Wonderland” July 27-28 at the Waterville Opera House, and “Peter and the Wolf” Oct. 12 at the Unity Center for the Performing Arts.