Dancers dazzle as they bring beloved fairytale to Swift Current

Ballet Jörgen treated Swift Current to their rendering of Cinderella on Wednesday night, featuring choreography from Bengt Jörgen, and offering a more realistic look at the classic fairytale. 

The Canadian ballet company also brings with them a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Swift Current dancers explains owner and artistic director of The Dance Studio, Melissa Wallace. 

“Ballet Jörgen does travelling tours every year and they have a fantastic local participant program that covers everywhere from coast to coast,” she explained. “They hit different size centers throughout all the different provinces, and it gives students of all ages an opportunity to get to watch ballet performances because we don't get very many chances like that here in Swift Current and similar centres. 

“It also gives them the option to audition to perform with the ballet company, which is always exciting. In the last 10 years, as they've been coming through Swift Current, we've always done student workshops with them at our studio, and we've had a lot of different local youth participants in their various ballets as they come through the city.” 

Two students from The Dance Studio, Jayne Service and Jocelyne Tufts, were selected after submitting an online application and a reference letter from Melissa Wallace. 

Jayne Service and Jocelyne Tufts, were selected after submitting an online application.

“Both of the girls are awesome role models to the younger students,” said Wallace. “Jayne is one of our student class helpers and Jocelyne is one of our dance educators, she's actually been achieving her teaching qualifications exams this year.” 

Milah Dirkson, from Southwest Dance Company, was also selected to be a part of the ballet. 

Jayne Service, Jocelyne Tufts, and Milah Dirkson as tree fairies.

The girls played various supporting roles in the classic ballet, which featured set design by Glenn Davidson, costume designs by Robert Doyle, and music by composer, Sergei Prokofiev. 

The selected dancers spent the entirety of Wednesday with the Jörgen Ballet, learning their roles before the performance on Wednesday night. 

Service and Tufts as ballroom attendants.

Wallace noted that dancers from around the Southwest were able to come together to benefit from the visit as well, with a workshop hosted by the Jörgen Ballet in Swift Current. 

“We did have a workshop at our studio Monday evening with the company where Hannah Cruddas and Hiroto Saito taught the class of students from ages six to 19,” she explained. “We had students coming from our studio, students joined us from Backstage Dance Company, from Southwest Dance Company and from Shaunavon Dance.  

“So, we had an awesome opportunity to do student classes with them on Monday, and then on Tuesday for the first half of the day, the company used our studio to do their own company class and do their own rehearsals as well.”