Summer Intensive
Welcome to the Civic Dance Centre, official dance school of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company. The Scranton Civic Ballet Company was founded in 1978 by Northeast Pennsylvania's most respected dance instructor, Miss Helen M. Gaus. Originally as a regional resident company, the Scranton Civic Ballet Company is at the forefront of ballet and the performing arts in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Our school makes every effort to instill in its students the discipline and knowledge needed to approach learning in a professional way, whether one's intent is to become a professional dancer or to learn the rigorous discipline of dance to carry oneself through life.
At "Civic," we believe that our role is to guide young dancers through increasingly disciplined levels of dance in a friendly, caring atmosphere. Creative energy, gracefulness, a heightened awareness of music and musicality, and a focus on technique are only some of the benefits our programs have to offer. The Scranton Civic Ballet Company is dedicated to bringing quality dance training within reach of young dancers to make dreams a reality.
The Scranton Civic Ballet Company is a non-profit organization focused on dance education and performance. It is the company’s mission to educate our members and the public in the art of dance while bringing the talents of well-known artists, choreographers, and master teachers into northeast Pennsylvania for the benefit of our students as well as our audiences.
Welcome to the Civic Dance Centre, official dance school of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company. The Scranton Civic Ballet Company was founded in 1978 by Northeast Pennsylvania's most respected dance instructor, Miss Helen M. Gaus. Originally as a regional resident company, the Scranton Civic Ballet Company is at the forefront of ballet and the performing arts in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Our school makes every effort to instill in its students the discipline and knowledge needed to approach learning in a professional way, whether one's intent is to become a professional dancer or to learn the rigorous discipline of dance to carry oneself through life.
At "Civic," we believe that our role is to guide young dancers through increasingly disciplined levels of dance in a friendly, caring atmosphere. Creative energy, gracefulness, a heightened awareness of music and musicality, and a focus on technique are only some of the benefits our programs have to offer. The Scranton Civic Ballet Company is dedicated to bringing quality dance training within reach of young dancers to make dreams a reality.
The Scranton Civic Ballet Company is a non-profit organization focused on dance education and performance. It is the company’s mission to educate our members and the public in the art of dance while bringing the talents of well-known artists, choreographers, and master teachers into northeast Pennsylvania for the benefit of our students as well as our audiences.
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Music
Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
Choreography
Helen Gaus & Robert Zaloga
after Marius Petipa & Yuri Grigorovich
CREDITS
Music
The Sleeping Beauty, Op.66 (1889)
Premiere
April 13, 2025, The Theater at North
Original Cast
Rachel Stopper (Princess Aurora)
Robert Zaloga (Prince Désiré)
Kelly Lesjack (Lilac Fairy)
Rebecca Kameroski (Carabosse)
Original Costumes
Jane Rumyantseva, Helen Kasarda
Set
JE Tellier
Lighting Design
Dave Yezefski
PROLOGUE - THE CHRISTENING: King Florestan and his Queen have arranged a splendid christening to celebrate the birth of their newborn daughter, the Princess Aurora. Courtiers gather in the castle, awaiting the entrance of the royal couple. The Lilac Fairy, principal godmother to the Princess Aurora, enters, surrounded by her retinue of fairies, bearing gifts of grace, joy, generosity, musicality, and temperament. Suddenly a noise is heard with the arrival of the evil Carabosse. Upset she was not invited to the event, Carabosse and her minions curse the newborn, ensuring she will grow up to be the most beautiful and enchanting princess; however, by her sixteenth birthday she will prick her finger with a spindle and die. The Lilac Fairy tempers the curse, ensuring Aurora will not die - instead, she will fall into a deep sleep and be awakened by true love's kiss in one hundred years.
ACT I - PRINCESS AURORA’S BIRTHDAY: Aurora has turned sixteen and a celebration is held with friends, family, and children of the kingdom. The King and Queen arrive with four princes. As Aurora arrives, she is greeted by the princes and dances the Rose Adagio as her parents try to persuade her to choose one as her fiancé. Suddenly, Aurora notices an old woman standing in the crowd, holding a spindle. She takes the spindle from the woman and begins to dance with it coquettishly to win the admiration of her suitors, but her dance ends abruptly when the spindle pricks her finger. Aurora rushes about in fear, then collapses unconscious. The old woman throws off her cloak and reveals herself as the evil Carabosse, roaring that her curse has succeeded. The Lilac Fairy appears to remind the desperate parents that their daughter is not dead but asleep, and that she is destined to sleep for one hundred years.
INTERMISSION
ACT II, SCENE I - THE VISION: After a night of hunting, Prince Désiré is in the enchanted forest and is greeted by the Lilac Fairy, who is also the Prince’s godmother. He bows before her. The fairy asks the Prince whether he loves any of the noble women in his court. Sadly, he does not. The fairy tells him of the beautiful and enchanting Aurora. She takes him through this vision of beauty where he wishes to embrace her but she slips away. Madly in love with this vision of Aurora, the prince throws himself at the feet of the Lilac Fairy. He asks her to take him to the castle, and they set off immediately.
ACT II, SCENE II - THE AWAKENING: Prince Désiré and the Lilac Fairy enter the castle chamber. With a tornado of the kingdom praying for the awakening of the Princess Aurora, Désiré finally sees the sleeping beauty, rushes to her and kisses her. Princess Aurora awakens, and the curse has been lifted, ending Carabosses life. Light shines down on the kingdom and the Prince announces he will marry the Princess.
ACT III - THE WEDDING: The Court assembles for the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré. The invited guests include many fairy tale characters - The White Cat, Red Riding Hood, CInderella, Snow White, the Bluebird, among others - who present their stories as gifts to the royal couple. Also present is the Lilac Fairy. After all these guests have paid their respects to the bride and groom, Aurora and Désiré dance a grand pas de deux. The whole assembly joins in a dance in their honor and the kingdom rejoices.