Milwaukee Ballet’s Michael Pink sensed audiences craving an escape, which is why the artistic director brought back the wild and whimsical ALICE (in wonderland) for its season finale.
The story of a girl falling down a rabbit hole and discovering a nonsensical world is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Victorian fairy tale. But choreographer Septime Webre’s ALICE takes its cues from the 1951 Disney film, with Pop Art-inspired designs, a vibrant color palette and Alice’s blue dress. The original score by Matthew Pierce leans entirely on the string section to tell the story. Since its 2012 premiere with the Washington Ballet, productions have cropped up in Kansas City, Arizona and Ohio.
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Pink, known for his own lush and lyrical story ballets, was first drawn to ALICE’s bold aesthetic and “fiendishly difficult” choreography to spice up the company’s repertoire in 2016. There are costume changes, puppetry and props galore – dancers even take flight.
“This is geared to please. It’s almost like a comic book,” Pink says. “You go from one place, and POW! CHOOM! BANG! onto the next place.”
Dancers Alana Giffith and Parker Brasser-Vos say returning to it after 10 years is a welcome walk down memory lane. The 2016 production marked the first time they performed lead roles.
“I’ve always been obsessed with the story of Alice, so to be able to portray her so early on in my career was really exciting,” says Griffith.
Griffith, who danced Alice, recalls being “thrown in the deep end.” Brasser-Vos says dancing the White Rabbit was a “pivotal moment” in his career. His advice to dancers doing ALICE for the first time? “Have fun. Pace yourself.”
ALICE (in wonderland) takes place May 1-10 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
