The Sleeping Beauty

Ballet Northwest performs Tchaikovsky’s ballet this weekend

By Michael Swan on May 7, 2009

When it comes to handling uninvited party guests, you have to give it up to King Florestan the XIV of Marius Petipa’s and Peter Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Sleeping Beauty.

What’s that you say, evil fairy Carabosse? You weren’t on the guest list for my daughter’s christening ceremony?

Oh, what a terrible mistake. I blame, uh, the master of ceremonies.

Tchaikovsky’s adaptation of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale La Belle au Bois Dormant goes on to tell the familiar story of a century-long nap for the princess and her kingdom, one handsome prince who’s a hell of a kisser, and a big old shebang of a wedding during which Puss in Boots shakes her tail on the dance floor.  How closely the 70-member Ballet Northwest and artistic directors Ken and Josie Johnson’s “new choreography” follow the original storyline remains to be seen, but it’s sure to feature plenty of characters busting some serious ballet moves.

[Washington Center, Friday, May 8 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 9 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sunday, May 10 2 p.m., $16.50-$20.50, 512 Washington St., Olympia, 360.753.8586]