Charlottesville, VA – I have captured a few ballets in my time at Digital Beat. What has always been amazing to me is how the dancers can tell a story through elegance and grace, no words, only music and movement. I recently had the opportunity to see a new story unfold before my eyes, as the Grand Kyiv Ballet brought their original “The Snow Queen” to the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, VA on January 16, 2025.
The title of the ballet was familiar, as I had heard the name several times before. At first I thought it must be the name of a traditional ballet, however, as it turns out, this was an recent piece choreographed by Alexander Abdukarimov with the music arranged by Finnish composer Tuomas Kantelinen. The story brought me back to my childhood, as I recall being mesmerized, thrilled, and terrified by the fairy tales of the Danish author, Hans Christian Anderson, “The Snow Queen” being one of them.
The story opens in darkness, trolls and the queen embracing a mirror that reflects the bad in all. The mirror breaks, and the pieces are captured in the wind to spread negativity throughout the world.
Enter Kai and Gerda (played by Daniel Kish and Anna Stoianova), soulmates in a way, bonded by eternal friendship. Frolicking in the garden, while flowers are in full bloom, life could not be better for the two. Then it happened, a shard from the cursed mirror, pierces Kai’s eye, turning his once warm heart as cold as ice.
One thing I found intriguing about this piece was the lighting. It is a challenge to tell a story without words. Grand Kyiv did have a narrator that spoke once in a while, and a storyteller figure in the shape of an antique bellows camera, but the tale was woven in movement with the help of some very special lighting. I thought the crew did a very good job of capturing the atmosphere and the emotion with something as simple as lighting. The evil being in darkness, the cold of heart with a hue of blue, and the love of life in natural light.
The transition from warm to cold in Kai’s heart is wonderfully done. It is clear Gerda tries to bring out the old Kai, but in the end fails. As the village turns cold Kai is taken away by the evil snow queen. Gerda is heartbroken, but determined to find her Kai, break the spell, and bring him home where he belongs. The quest begins.
The path to Kai is riddled with obstacles. From the outset, Gerda is met with resistance in the form of thieves, more trolls, fairies, and the Queen’s guard. Gerda’s warm heart and kind smile wins over most of them, and more often than not, those who would be enemies become allies and wish her well along the way. She is even given a red rose, reminding us of the beautiful blooms destroyed by the ice.
As Gerda continues, the Snow Queen is wooing Kai, preparing him to perhaps sit by her side and rule her icy kingdom. As Kai is about to be crown, Gerda saves the day, ending the ceremony and feverishly tries to break the spell.
It is clear that Gerda’s love, kindness, and friendship are winning Kai’s heart. The Queen and her supposedly loyal troll watch as the two young souls embrace. When it is clear that they Queen is no longer in control of Kai, the troll appears to betray the Queen, helping Kai and Gerda escape. Of course, the Queen is enraged, and banishes the troll from her kingdom.
As they return to the village, it is again in full bloom. The residents celebrate as do all the friends Gerda made on her journey. Again, the production used lights quite well, as the background and hue that had been so blue, was now white light, and all the colors of the rainbow, and some others, were visible to all. The camera dancer, whom was in the dark most of the night, even appears to celebrate that which love and kindness promote.
The Snow Queen Gallery
Show Date: January 16, 2025
