The words "holiday ballet" usually call up visions of battling mice, parading gingerbread men and that oddly entrancing toy, "The Nutcracker."

Rather than the traditional dancing toys, the OU School of Dance's ballet company, Oklahoma Festival Ballet, will present four one-act ballets, two that are famous, one original, and one classic piece.

Oklahoma Festival Ballet Holiday will include "Valse Fantaisie," a critically acclaimed George Balanchine ballet.

The rights to this piece belong to the New York City Ballet Company, and the school of dance had to apply for permission to perform it, said Mary Margaret Holt, director of the school of dance.

The OU School of Dance is one of only two ballet companies in Oklahoma to have permission to perform a Balanchine ballet.

Kathleen Tracey, former New York City Ballet soloist, came to OU for a week in October to ensure Balanchine's specific style of dance was performed correctly.

"In comparison to professional companies, OU definitely has rank," Tracey said of OU's ballet program, which is ranked in the top three of the country.

Ashley Dangos, ballet performance senior, dances the lead in "Valse Fantaisie," and said learning the choreography in one week is difficult, but worth the effort.

"It's rather difficult time-wise and it's strenuous, but I think it's lots of fun, especially with Kathleen Tracey, because she's a famous ballerina," Dangos said.

The school of dance also had to receive permission to stage "Pas de Deeses," or "Dance of the Goddesses," a Robert Joffrey ballet.

It is a romantic ballet that tells the story of two ballerinas vying for the attention of a choreographer.

Francoise Martinet, a Morocco-born professional ballerina, traveled to OU to stage this ballet.

The ballet holiday will also include the world premiere of an original ballet choreographed by Holt, a contemporary piece called "Roma."

Holt was inspired by the music of modern violinist, Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg.

"She has a distinct interpretation of the violin repertoire," Holt said of Sonnenberg's unconventional style, which Holt said reminded her of gypsies.

"It's not about a certain story or group of gypsies, but it's evocative of that culture," she said.

The only conventional holiday classic the ballet holiday will include is "Swan Lake, Act II."

The second act of this ballet includes the Swan Queen and the Prince's grand pas de deux, a duet well-known for its dramatic lifts and sweeping music.

These four one-act ballets will deliver no expected gift of Christmas nostalgia, but will rather allow the audience to window shop down an avenue of eclectic dance.

"It's a nice alternative to usual ballet 'The Nutcracker' because it really exhibits a variety of dance and musical styles and it also stretches the talents of the many students," Holt said.

For ticket information, call the ballet ticket office at 325-4101.

DETAILS

Event:

Oklahoma Festival Ballet Holiday performances

When:

Dec. 5-15

Where:

OU's Rupel Jones Theatre
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