Swan Lake & Little Mermaid at Farthing
this weekend
Studio K Youth Ballet presents double feature dance program

By Jeff Eason

Studio K Youth Ballet, the High Country dance troupe that presents the wonderful production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker each December, is in the spring swing of things.

Studio K’s spring production is a double feature of two completely different ballet works for the stage. The first is the classic ballet Swan Lake, with music by Peter Tchaikovsky. The second is a ballet rendition of the tale of The Little Mermaid, featuring plenty of popular characters from the Disney animated film version of Hans Christian Anderson’s immortal story.

Studio K’s production of Swan Lake and The Little Mermaid ballets will be presented at Farthing Auditorium in Boone on Saturday, May 3rd at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 4th at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children.

Swan Lake had its premiere in 1877 at the Bolshoy Theatre in Moscow. Today, most presentations are staged, both choreographically and musically, based on the 1895 revival of Swan Lake that occurred at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The story of Swan Lake concerns Prince Siegfri, an heir to the throne who must declare a wife at his birthday ball. Upset that he cannot marry for love, he escapes into the forest at night where he sees a flock of swans flying overhead. He follows the swans and aims his crossbow at one of them. To his surprise, the creature is more woman than swan, having been magically changed by a sorcerer named King Rothbart. The swan maiden’s name is Odette.

Siegfri and Odette fall in love and, determined to break the swan spell, he returns to the castle. Rothbart arrives in disguise with his own daughter, Odile, who looks exactly like Odette except for the fact that she wears black instead of white. The prince mistakes her for Odette and proclaims to the court that he intends to marry her. A moment later Siegfri sees the real Odette and realizes his mistake. Tragedy ensues.

The Studio K production of Swan Lake features Hannah Williams as the Jester, Nolan McKew as Prince Siegfri, Shannon Hatley as Queen Uberta, Gayle Anderson as Princess Odette, Kenneth Wright as King William, Sarah Mixter as Princess Odile and Jeff Hatley as King Rothbart.

The Courtyard Children Keepers of the Royal Crown include Lacey Bradford, Kayla Edmisten, Delia Forrester, Linley Garwood, Emily Hill, Kaitlyn Hodges, Savannah McIntosh, Ramsey Parker, Gracie Proffit, Eden Stroupe, Katie Thompson, Ella Triplett, Ella Carroll, Bailey Cook, Hailey Marshall, Olivia Pinnix, Kacie Rominger, Ava Black, Lily Brown, Hallie Grace Byrd, Alexis Clary, Lauren Darbo, Emma Knight, Lizzie Miller, Lucy Miller, Quincy Peacock, Ella Pennell, Grace Sears, Janie Ann Soucek, Kathleen Gibson, Summer Green, Tilliman Maxwell, Emma Rominger, Ellery Rushing and Savanna Berry.

The Courtyard Dancers include Tegan Allan, Noelle Eller, Summit Fredenburg, Andrew Hatley, Catie Holder, Carrie Labonte, Breanna Meadows, Sophie Reese, Emma Kate Sevensky, Anna Shellman, Audrey Smith, Sydney Styron, R J Christian, Kaylee Cottom, Kelci Moody, Kathryn Watson, Karen Batichon, Caitlin Clarke, Raven Cook, Emily Grant, Journey Hamm, Cheney Hester, Claire McCoy, Angela Ramsdell, Elizabeth Vilas, Mary Lovins, Andrew Hatley, Lindsey Cole.

Visiting Princesses and Kings include Wendy Curtis, Haley Walton, Anna Reichard, Ken Steele, John Cook Mike Wilson, and Kenneth Wright.

The Banner Bearers include Alana Patterson, Annie Venable, Sarah Morh, Kellyn Stamey and Evan Redmond.

Royalty includes Tiffany Christian, Andy Harkins, Mary Silver, Carol Cook, John Cook, Mike Wilson, Ken Steele, Mary Ellis, Greg Lovins, Meresa Verholek and Dan Krontz.

The Little Swans include Staci Brown, Heather Byrd, Emma Carder, Sara Frances Greene, Olivia Handley, Emma Harkins, Lacy Holder, Tory Jensen, Kelsi Kanoy, Hannah Nemcosky, Olivia Reese, Meghan Smith, Jessica Tufts, Katherine Tufts, Camille Ward, Olivia Williamson, Cami Hastings, Heather Ostwalt, Mackenna Berry, Joanna Campbell, Rayanna Christian, Moriah Franklin, Amelia Humiston-Baker, Jasmine Jackson, Courtney Jensen, Kennedy Kavanaugh, Sierra Lowder, Francesca Mancini, Gabrielle Moody, Rachel Norwood, Sierra Sweeney and Catherine Catoe.

The Cygnets include Brooke Ashcraft, Haylee Barker, Zoe Brown, Alison Cook, Hattie Rose Greene, Faith Ann Henson, Allie Hollis, Emmie Huffman, Erin Jensen, Megan Lewis, Sarah Grace Shellman, Claudia Button, Emma Pinnix, Anna Grace Williams, Sage Cercopely, Grace Corwine, Sadye Franklin, Kaitlin Meiring, Natalie Noble, Samantha Reese, Savannah Spencer, Belinda Wang, Demi Wang, Lili Bauar and Caroline Zuber.

The White Swan Corp de Ballet includes Sara Critcher, Kathryn DeVoe, Abby Foster, Ariel Franklin, Akesha Greene, Ashley Harkins, Catharine Milner, Lindsey Harkins, Meghan Mixon, Shannon Hatley, Lindsay Kaudelka, Sally Miller, Sarah Mixter, Eve Smalling, Nicole Werner, Hannah Williams, Wendy Curtis, Shellie Karaus, Anna Reichard, Callie Stanbery, Amanda Taylor, Haley Walton, Tara Wicker, Lauren Greene, Jenny Myers, Katelyn Turley and Shannon Hatley.

The Four Little Swans are Ashley Harkins, Lindsey Harkins, Catharine Milner and Lauren Greene. Four Swans include Shannon Hatley, Kathryn De Voe, Eve Smalling, Nicole Werner, Abby Foster, Sarah Mixter, Akesha Greene and Tara Wicker.

The Ballroom Dancers include Jenny Myers, Katelyn Turley, Jessica Townsend, Simone Anderson, Hailey Beshears, Megan Rush, Alana Patterson, Annie Venable and Kellyn Stamey.

The Black Swan Corp de Ballet includes Laurel Beebe, Taylor Blanton, Alex Ellis, Kaitlin Felts, Anna Kay Greene, Anna Jensen, Bailey Messenkopf, Sarah Mohr, Carly Moser, Elizabeth Pitts, Rebekah Washburn, Kathleen Baker, Emily Burwell, Katelyn Callahan, Alana Patterson, Kellyn Stamey, Morgan Story, Evangeline Redmond, Annie Venable, Abigail Apgar, Nicole Krontz and Brittany Burwell.

The Little Mermaid

First published in 1837, Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid has become one of the most beloved tales in literature. The story revolves around the adventures of Ariel, a young mermaid on the brink of womanhood. One day she swims to the surface and spies a handsome prince. She asks the Sea Witch Ursula to change her into a human so she can meet the prince. Ursula gives her a potion that transforms her into a human but also takes away her beautiful singing voice. Ariel must get the prince to fall in love with her because if he marries another she will turn into sea foam and dissolve.

The Studio K production of The Little Mermaid features Callie Stanberry as Ariel, Matthew Greene as The Prince, and Ariel Franklin as the Sea Witch.

The Seagulls include Anna Reichard, Akesha Greene, Abby Foster, Eve Smalling, Katelyn Turley, Hannah Williams, Tara Wicker and Nicole Werner.

Sailors include Anna Reichard, Akesha Greene, Abby Foster, Eve Smalling, Jenny Myers, Tara Wicker, Nicole Werner, Katelyn Turley, Jessica Townsend, Simone Anderson, Hailey Beshears, Megan Rush, Alana Patterson, Annie Venable and Kellyn Stamey.

Mermaid Sisters include Shellie Karaus, Lindsay Kaudelka, Sally Miller, Ashley Harkins, Sara Critcher, Meghan Mixon. Partners: Kenneth Wright, Josh Blackburn, Micheal Sutton, Kim Street, Jeff Hatley, Garrett Mixon and Nick Bruce.

The scene Under the Sea includes Courtney Bell, Samantha Byrd, Megan Dean, Sarah Ledford, Emily Ray, Sara Ware, Kerri Whittaker, Addie Hartley, Alex Ellis, Laurel Bebee, Eden Arquette, Emma Barr, Morgan Brink, Isabelle Broman-Fulks, Emme Caito, Bethany Critcher, Savannah Grizzard, Gaia Harper, Josie Herring, Caroline Hodges, Taylor Replogle, Madelyne Street , Jaidyn Toomey, Devin Drummond, Katy Drummond, Julia Banks, Rebekah Blair, Lilly Coggins, Luci Brooke Creed, Alessandra Densham, Alexis Eggers, Anna Galloway, Libby Glidewell, Kati Mac Greene, Molly Grimes, Sarah Grimes, Molly Kirkland, Isabella Knight, Marisa Romanat, Allison Turbyfill, Rhianna Verholek, Ava Williamson and Peyton Walton.

Village Children include Avery Devereux, Lily Devereux, Will Devereux, Katy Drummond, Carlton Dyer, Summer Finch, Julia Handley, Madeline Hays, Angela Claire Henderson, Jackie Illich, Reagan Miller, Evangelina Mizell, Elizabeth Noble, Isabella Phipps, Browning Proctor, Lydia Rothrock, Chloe Wilburn, Tiana Wilson, Abigail Button, Bella Barlow, Leah Brabham, Ansley Caterson, Rylee Councill, Bailey Councill ,Alanis Davila, Lilly Fairbanks, Macayla Kanoy, Camryn Norris, Riley Parker, Emarie Peacock, Ava Schmidinger, Katie Gray Sechrist, Madison Welch and Ella Wheeler.

Village Dancers include Lindsey Cole, Carolina Conway, Morgan Critcher, Eliza Grace Eason, Sara Frances Greene, Emma Harkins, Breianna Hehenberger, Deanna Indicott, Mary Lovins, Amanda Lubkemann, Tabitha Moody, Alexis Pope, Allison Quinn, Emily Whittaker and Allison Brown.

The Wedding Party scene includes Lauren Cottom, Ashlyn Edmisten, Marley Forrester, Emma Gravitt, Zoe Gravitt, Caroline Hoover, Lennon Lupton, Maggie Milhaupt, Mckayla Minor, Sydney Morrison, Caitlin Sanders, Mattie Suggs, Rebecca Anderson, Eden Indicott, Ella Thompson, Bridgett Baird, Victoria Cool, Faith FloresTerran Julian, Shaelyn Sheaff, Molly Taylor, Abigail Utter, Carsyn Howarth, Kaycee Wilson, Hannah Bates, Ashley Canter, Megan Critcher, Sidney Ginn, Brook Matheson, Amelia Powers, Hanna Reeves, Megan Tate, Olivia Watson, Brittany Burwell, Victoria Redmon, Abigail Apgar, Nicole Krontz, Ivy Ulmer, Savannah Copeland, Amanda Eagle-Farrar, Morgan Hatley, Brandy Hicks, Ryan Loflin, Caroline Lovins, Aynsley Moore, Elizabeth Watson, Laura Zuber, Mackenna Berry, Laurel Beebe, Taylor Blanton, Alex Ellis, Kaitlin Felts, Anna Kay Greene, Anna Jensen, Bailey Messenkopf, Sarah Mohr, Carly Moser, Elizabeth Pitts, Rebekah Washburn, Kathleen Baker, Emily Burwell, Katelyn Callahan, Alana Patterson, Kellyn Stamey, Morgan Story, Evangeline Redmond, Annie Venable, Abigail Apgar, Nicole Krontz and Britney Burwell.