The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a visually delightful holiday ballet perfect for a family outing. Choreographed by Ilena Norton, Ballet Ariel present a lovely adaptation of the story with gorgeous costumes, beautiful backdrops to set the stage and engaging choreography performed by the talented cast. The wintry setting and appearance of Father Christmas add to the holiday spirit.
From Westword
Ballet Ariel … will deliver a breath of fresh air to the holiday ballet scene with the world premiere of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, based on C.S. Lewis’s classic tale. Artistic and executive director Ilena Norton, the visionary behind this bold move, has long revered the story.
From JeffcoTranscript
Though the mice battling gingerbread soldiers will be doing a modern improvisation, “The Nutcracker” performance by Ballet Ariel at the Lakewood Cultural Center will be mostly traditional. A sugar plum fairy will rule the cold, sweet lands and a little girl will meet a mysterious nutcracker on Christmas eve.
From Presenting Denver
Our attention was drawn to a familiar but larger-than-life shape as we entered the aging Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre on the evening of Saturday, October 6th. From behind the towering red curtain whispered the shadow of a ballerina, cast into enormity on the back wall. This glimpse into the secret and sacred scene of a dancer in the wings before her curtain call excited me in the way that only the magic of ballet can.
Colorado Public Radio
Ballet Ariel director Ilena Norton choreographed “Tale of Molly Brown.” She likes to turn to history when looking for stories for new ballets, noting that Brown was an important figure in Colorado history.
“She epitomizes a lot of what was happening with women at the turn of the century,” Norton says. “So I think that was a very important story for us to tell.”
Presenting Denver
Reinvention of the classical was the theme of Appalachian Spring & Ballerinas by Degas presented by Ballet Ariel, a Denver ballet company and school. The show ran Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, April 28 and 29 at the Lakewood Cultural Center. The Gallery North, in the first floor lobby, boasted a middle school art exhibit that provided breathtaking and thought-provoking pre-show entertainment. It had been a dazzling estival day in Denver and the sun was still aglow as showtime approached and the audience settled into the darkness of the theater.