Lou Ann Young has wanted her dancers to perform a complete ballet ever since she started teaching at the university in 1987. This weekend the Ball State University Assistant Professor of Dance will get her wish.
"Coppelia" is the first full-length ballet to be performed by Ball State Dance Theatre students in at least 20 years, Sarah Mangelsdorf, director of dance said. This week's performances in University Theatre replace the annual winter program "Dance! Dance! Dance!" this year.
Ball State students have performed sections of ballets over the years, but never an entire show, Young said. The ballet runs Thursday through Sunday.
"It's a joy for me to be able to long last do this," Young said.
Young said she believes dance and acting students need to perform a complete ballet while in college. She said she hopes Ball State Dance Theatre students will perform a ballet once every four years so students can gain that experience, she said.
"Coppelia" was first performed at the Paris Opera on May 25, 1870, and has since been performed by many different dance companies around the world.
This is the fifth time Young has directed a complete version of "Coppelia." This version of the ballet is choreographed by Young, Michele Kriner, L. Gregory Lund, Doris Ressl, Darrell Rushton and Michael Worcel.
The ballet is a comedy about a couple with pre-wedding jitters. It has two casts so different students can perform different roles.
The three-act ballet depicts the story of Swanhilda, danced by Betsy New and Paige Wareham, and Franz, danced by Tony Howell and Jason Flodder. Swanhilda and Franz are engaged lovers. Before they can celebrate their love at the Festival of the Bell, Franz falls in love with Coppelia, a figure he sees in a window of the home of Dr. Coppelius, a toy maker danced by Worcel. Swanhilda tests Franz's faithfulness by listening to a sheaf of wheat, if the sheaf makes a sound it indicates his love for her.
The wheat is silent and Swanhilda ends up breaking into the home of Dr. Coppelius, where the mysterious girl in the window lives. When she and Franz learn Coppelia is only a doll fashioned by Dr. Coppelius, the couple is able to celebrate at the Festival of the Bell.
"Coppelia" is entertaining and easy to understand, New, who is a senior dance major who dances the part of Swanhilda in one of the casts, said.
"It's one of the more enjoyable ballets to go see," New said.
Young said she believes every family would enjoy watching this ballet.
"They're dancing their hearts out," Young said of her dancers.
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