Classical Music

Utah Opera serves up a magical “Hansel and Gretel”

In his music for Hansel and Gretel, Engelbert Humperdinck creates a […]

Hadelich returns to Utah Symphony with memorable Brahms

Augustin Hadelich is back on stage in Abravanel Hall this weekend […]


Theater

Critic’s Choice 2024-25

Sweeney Todd. Utah Opera. October 12–20. Stephen Sondheim’s twisted masterpiece finally […]


Dance review

Ballet West serves up humor and visual splendor with a fresh “Cinderella”

Sat Feb 08, 2025 at 12:58 pm
By Sara M. K. Neal
Amy Potter and Hadriel Diniz in Ballet West’s Cinderella. Photo: Beau Pearson

Ballet West’s Cinderella is a timely work for February, both brightening up the winter gloom, and adding a touch of romance for Valentine’s Day.  

Cinderella is the story of a mistreated young woman who, through help from a fairy godmother, goes in secret to a royal ball, falls in love with a prince, and lives happily ever after. Many versions of Cinderella focus on the romance, but Sir Frederick Ashton choreographed the ballet as a romantic comedy. From the over-the-top slapstick antics of the stepsisters, to smaller moments like the fairy godmother throwing a pumpkin off-stage to turn into a coach, this production embraces humor and fun. 

Amy Potter was an earnest and likable Cinderella. Ashton’s choreographic vocabulary embraces big and active arm movements, and Potter executed them with lovely extension and fluid grace. Her Act Two entrance, where Cinderella descends down a staircase en pointe, was sublime and confident. 

The prince has a smaller role in this ballet, but Hadriel Diniz embraced his time on stage to display his explosive jumps and turns. The pas de deux between Diniz and Potter had an effortless energy even in the most technically challenging moments. 

In Ashton’s Cinderella the stepsisters are travesti roles, where the female characters are played by male dancers. Opening night featured Tyler Gum as the older stepsister and Jonas Malinka-Thompson as the younger stepsister. Gum and Malinka-Thompson had tremendous chemistry together. The roles of the stepsisters are characterized by a large amount of physical humor, including lifts, exaggerated pantomime, and comical missteps. These roles require great technique and precise timing, and Gum and Malinka-Thompson rose to the challenge masterfully. 

Victoria Vassos as the fairy godmother paired technical precision with expressive elegance. Dominic Ballard as the father brought a surprising level of sensitivity to a smaller role, portraying a father shouldering the complex burden of caring for three very different daughters. 

One of the more challenging roles in the ballet is the Jester, performed on opening night by David Huffmire. This part is almost acrobatic in nature, with extensive turns, jumps, and leaps. Huffmire dazzled the audience with his energy and character. 

An important hallmark of Ballet West’s Ashton revival production is the new sets and costumes from London’s Royal Ballet (first seen there in 2003). They were a beautiful addition to the performance, with a variety of scrims and drops that enhanced the story and the experience. The forest scene, where Cinderella meets fairies and the evening stars, used multiple drops in a captivating way to pull the audience through the four seasons and the night sky. The ball scene is lighter both in the set and costumes of the royal court, which benefited the humorous tone of the production.  

The score by Sergei Prokofiev heightens the emotions of the ballet, switching adeptly from melancholy to humor to romance. The Ballet West Orchestra performed admirably under music director Jared Oaks.

Ballet West’s Cinderella continues through February 16. balletwest.org

Calendar

February 15

Ballet West
Cinderella
2 p.m. Lawson Capitol Theatre
[…]


Dance

Ballet West’s beloved “Nutcracker” remains spirited and delightful at 80

Ballet West’s Nutcracker marks the beginning of the holiday season for […]

Ballet West exults with color and joy in “Pictures at an Exhibition”

Ballet West opened its season two weeks ago with a dark […]