Kansas City Ballet Dancer Naomi Tanioka and KCB School Students in Septime Webre’s “ALICE (in wonderland).” Photography by Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios
Part dreamland, part party, Kansas City Ballet opened their 67th season with Septime Webre’s ballet fantasy “Alice (in wonderland)” in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
Inspired by Lewis Carrol’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” with a smattering of characters from “Through the Looking Glass,” this ballet was presented by KCBallet first in 2014, and it’s well within the realm of family-friendly story ballets, with similarities to Webre’s “Wizard of Oz” and the perennial “Nutcracker”: girl journeys to magical land and meets fantastical beings. Using artistic liberties, Webre’s interpretation plays into the “Oz” conceit with parallels between Alice’s family in the prologue (such as the frustrated and impatient Mother) and the characters she meets in Wonderland (becoming the grand and threatening Queen).
It’s a fun and funny work and requires a huge cast, with elements of classic ballet and contemporary movement. The child performers, students of the Kansas City Ballet School, were a popular inclusion, eliciting lots of laughter with their wiggles, skips, and somersaults.
The look of the ballet was decidedly modern, almost Warhol-esque, with flamboyant colors and symbolic imagery in the set design by James Kronzer. Trad A. Burns designed the lighting, adding depth to the minimalist set pieces.
Liz Vandal designed the costumes: fantastically funky, in vibrant hues, and sporting opulent embellishments. Particularly effective were the flamingo corps de ballet, like ultra elegant Vegas showgirls, the playing card tutus, the Queen of Hearts’ elaborate headdress, and the rag-doll dopeyness of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
There were also fun puppet elements, designed by Eric Van Wyk, including a Jabberwock nearly as long as the stage.
Particularly inventive was the Down the Rabbit Hole sequence, with the dance of doors and Alice’s transformations, the silky and sinuous Caterpillar (danced by Whitney Hull), the Duchess and Cook duet, the disco-y Tea Party, and the chaotic Croquet Game.
On opening night a smiling Naomi Tanioka was the sweet and adventurous Alice (alternatively danced with Amanda DeVenuta), with Kelsey Ivana Hellebuyck as the imperious Mother/Queen of Hearts; Gavin Abercrombie as the frantic White Rabbit, Alladson Barreto as the mysterious Cheshire Cat (Alice’s various duets with these two showed off their skills and grace with plenty of impressive lifts); and Kevin Wilson and Gabriel Lorena as the goofily charming (if a bit underutilized) Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
There were a few sequences that seemed too long, given their plot necessity, like the Caucus Race, presented in a more classical format. While it showcased fine dancing from Taryn Pachciarz (Eaglet) and Paul Zusi (Dodo Bird), one consistent classical holdover was the multiple choreographed bows at the end of sections, stopping the flow of the story.
Matthew Pierce composed the score to suit the choreography, drawing on a variety of musical influences, performed by the Kansas City Symphony and conducted by KCB music director Ramona Pansegrau. Melodies were kept relatively simple (if repetitive), though the orchestration has been expanded since 2014. The Queen of Hearts had the most dramatic segment, brassy and aggressive, but there were also some interesting effects like mysterious violin and purring brass accompanying the Cat, layered runs during Alice’s transformations and sobbing violin when Alice can’t fit through the door.
From Alice’s opening scene ennui to her joy at the end, the ballet serves as an ode to the power of art and imagination to awaken and enhance the spirit.
Reviewed Friday, October 11, 2024. Kansas City Ballet presents “Alice (in wonderland)” Oct. 17 (sensory friendly), 6 p.m.; Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 19, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Oct. 20, 1:30 p.m. For more information visit www.kcballet.org.
