The Sleeping Beauty FULL REVIEW By CWB OFFICE

The Sleeping Beauty opened on Friday with a spectacular display of grand form staging and superb technical delivery by Central West Ballet. It was without question one of the best shows at the Gallo Center for the Arts this year. Offering the Tchaïkovsky classic in its full version, Central West Ballet proves again that it is a diverse Company capable of handling the great ballets as well as other dance disciplines. The Sleeping Beauty is arguably a Ballerina's dream piece, with festivals of solos for women and character dances such as Puss In Boots and The Blue Bird Pas de Deux. Central West Ballet has truly outdone itself this year with substance and entertainment value.

Opening night starred Nicole Firpo and Joseph Adkins, who gave a solid and charismatic performance in the lead roles of Aurora and Prince Florimund, handling the marathon of dances and demanding technical prowess with aplomb and conviction. Firpo's Aurora was delivered with youth and energy to a satisfying effect and Adkins' rendition of the Prince had the confidence necessary to carry the role all the way through. It is a wonderful occasion to see Firpo attack the technical layout of every solo and Pas de Deux work proper to the role of Aurora. Adkins has never looked so good and his attention to detail was noticeable. Saturday's cast of Elease Carlson as Aurora and Brandon Phelps as the Prince was greeted warmly by the audience. Carlson was simply stunning in her Act 1 Entrance as the young Aurora. Her energy was palpable and her technique powerful. Phelps was as handsome as can be in the role of Prince Florimund and had solid jumps and turns during his Act 2 appearance. Their Act 3 Pas de Deux was full of excitment. Again, here, Phelps had solid double tours in his solo and Carlson delivered with her strength and shining presence. Sunday's closing performance stood on Lindsay Weddle and David Riskin's shoulders. It was worth the wait. Weddle, in great form, burned the floor with her emotional acting, precise foot steps and solid technique. A natural in the casting of Aurora, Weddle's appearance was the perfect way to close the performances. Her vivid portrayal of Aurora captured the audience's imagination. David Riskin as the Prince showed a depth never seen before in the tall and elegant dancer, giving his 2nd Act a poetic feel.

The opening Prologue was stunning and the staging impeccable. The production's sets and costumes were top notch, worth every dollar spent on attending the performance. Dana Holm, returning to Central West for a guest appearance, gave a memorable performance of the Evil Fairy Carabosse. Holm, a dancer and performer of great charisma and stage presence, was chilling as the famous 'Queen of Darkness'. Accompanied by her Slaves, danced with energy by the Junior Company at Juline • School of Dance, Holm and the dancers were as impressive as seeing a classic fairy tale movie. The famous Fairy Variations were mezmerizing in presence and execution. This is where the up and comers showed how fierce they have become. All multiple casts performed brilliantly and with emotional depth. Elizabeth Campbell, Brooke Sonke and Ariane Mota were exciting and strong. Alex Vella, Adelina Milano, Dana Cash, and Milka Kursar showed charisma and efficiency in their presentation. Artists Liana Yates, Kylie Welch and Erikka Cates were in their element, dancing with confidence as the Good Fairies. The added appearance by CWB Principal Women made the scene dazzling. As the King, Rex Holm, a regular local guest with CWB, gave his best performance with a shakespearian quality. As the Queen, Cortney Hurst, the Junior Company's Artistic Director, was beautiful and convincing. Extra guest Mark Phelps played the role of Catalabutte with panache and eccentricity.

The all important role of the Lilac Fairy was eloquently portrayed by Alyssa Milano on Opening Night, Milano's interpretation of the role displayed a range of understanding going from the powerful and commanding to the enchanting. Her pantomime was clear and her movements as elegant as ever. On Saturday, Sarah Weaver incarnated the role with charm, managing to keep an impressive stature with her petite frame. This was clearly Weaver's very best and most solid performance of the Season. The Hunt Scene at the start of Act 2 was particularely beautiful and entertaining. Here, 2nd Soloist Julia Pfeffer was stunning as the Duchess, giving the role a real world portrayal that propelled the Act with maturity and true emotional satisfaction. On Saturday, Artist Bethany Phelps was charismatic and strong as the Duchess. Her ability to deliver as an actress had a fresh approach. The addition of the Junior Company in this scene and throughout the show was delightful to see. Central West's Corps de Ballet deserves a note of appreciation for its clean lines and synchronized work. Indeed, the opening night of The Sleeping Beauty was a victory for the Corps, with all the female dancers moving as one, with fluidity and precision. This Season, the corps work has been the most mature and solid, and it was obvious during this run of Sleeping Beauty. Stepping up to the plate during the 2nd Act, Central West's Corps maintained a focus and attention, making the story flow along during the all demanding Vision Scene.

The 3rd Act Wedding Scene was full of surprises. The Jewel Fairies, Nicole Firpo, Alyssa Milano, Lindsay Weddle, Elease Carlson, Sarah Weaver, Brooke Sonke, Milka Kursar and Adelina Milano were all superb in their presentation. A special delight was the Tom Thumb number with Juline • School of Dance students Blake Marker, Brian Ebster, Teague Applegate and Michael and Thomas Chin, who danced an imaginative suite of steps with spirit and discipline, choreographed by Artistic Director René Daveluy. The inclusion of all the original characters from the full version was a welcomed sight. Principal Character Artist Wally Layne was the quintessential Feline in Puss N' Boots and his White Cat, alternatively, Elizabeth Campbell, Kylie Welch and Alex Vella all turned in great performances. Another special guest appearance is that of Brian Leonard, who was part of Central West during the 08-09 Season. Leonard's performance of the legendary Blue Bird shows again a great talent in the making. He was partnering Rachel Sponder (Princess Florine) and their rendition of the Blue Bird Pas de Deux deserves special height commendation. Sponder added her usual touch of perfection to her performances. The Little Red Riding Hood was danced with sponteneity by Julia Pfeffer, Erikka Cates and Ariane Mota with David Riskin and Brandon Phelps as the Wolf. And the role of Cinderella and her Prince, seldom seen in The Sleeping Beauty, was beautifully danced by Dana Cash, Liana Yates and Sarah Weaver with Joseph Adkins and David Riskin.

Central West Ballet finished its 2009-2010 Season in high quality and grand fashion. It is a sign of a bright future indeed for the young professional company.