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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

‘Peter and the Wolf and Other Fairy Tales’ RDT spring ballet

For its spring performance, Repertory Dance Theatre is presenting “Peter and the Wolf and Other Fairy Tales,” a delightful afternoon of story ballets for audiences of all ages, 2 p.m. April 10, Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1533 Hamilton St., Allentown.

A workshop for ages 4-8 precedes the ballet at 12:45 p.m. April 10 at Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Former Joffrey Ballet star Trinette Singleton, RDT co-artistic director and a member of the dance faculty at DeSales University, and Jennifer Haltzman Tracy, RDT executive and co-artistic director, created new choreography to bring three fairy tales to life through dance. Excerpts from “Peter and the Wolf,” “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” and “Swan Lake” will showcase the talent of RDT dancers.

“In spring, we try to do a story ballet,” says Haltzman Tracy. “We feel it’s a great way to introduce young children to ballet. They see a tutu and pointe shoes, but they don’t realize that ballet can tell a story.”

Haltzman Tracy believes that presenting scenes from various ballets is a good way to keep younger audiences engaged. “It gives the audience a diverse program. Young children can be overwhelmed by a two-hour show.

“There’ll be a brief introduction before each [segment] to tell the children about what they’re going to see.”

All of the dancers in the show are RDT members. “They love performing,” Haltzman Tracy says,

In “Peter and the Wolf,” a rebellious young lad playing in a meadow encounters a wolf. The distinctive melodies of Sergei Prokofiev accompany the dance. “It’s a more animated version of ballet, more farcical, where a dancer mimics a tree, a duck, a bird and a cat,” says Haltzman Tracy.

“The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, tells of a tin soldier’s love for a paper ballerina. A pas de deux, choreographed by Singleton, is performed to the music of Bizet’s “Jeux d’enfants.”

Lastly, an excerpt from Act II of “Swan Lake” will portray Odette, the princess turned to a swan by the evil sorcerer, Rothbart. Prince Siegfried will dance with Odette and the Sea of Swans to the glorious music of Tchaikovsky.

Before the performance, there’s a storytime and dance workshop. “The children will learn about the fairy tales and review the instruments they’ll hear.

“They’ll learn some dance moves, meet the dancers, color pictures and have photos taken. It will be forty-five minutes of fun,” Haltzman Tracy says.

RDT produces two mainstage ballets each year and performs at community events free to the public. It also produces a series of in-school and after-school educational-outreach programs and provides dance education to hundreds of at-risk and disadvantaged youth through its Talent Identification Program.

Since 1987, Repertory Dance Theatre has provided dance training to area students. RDT’s mission is to encourage youths to get involved in dance as a profession and to promote community appreciation of the art of dance.

Tickets: lvartsboxoffice.org until noon April 9, 610-965-6216 and at the door

Eva Munshower, Cainan Weber, “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” Repertory Dance Theatre, “Peter and the Wolf and Other Fairy Tales,” 2 p.m. April 10, Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1533 Hamilton St., Allentownpress PHOTO BY ERIC FEINSTEIN Copyright - ERIC FEINSTEIN