A well-loved tale will make it onto the stage this week
Some 150 Just For Kicks students will present Pinocchio, the story of a wood-carved puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. With the help of Jiminy Cricket and the paternal Geppetto, Pinocchio goes on a quest to prove his worth and learns about the costs of lying along the way.
“When I was seven, I stayed with my sister in Edmonton,” says Patty Fleming, Just For Kicks owner and dance teacher, who notes her sister worked in the city’s Strand Theatre and took her to see the Disney film version several times. “I’ve always loved Pinocchio and when I thought about it, I realized most of the kids had never seen or heard about Pinocchio.
Fleming began reading the book to the dance students every day and 125 ballet students in various groups have been working on the production since September.
“Then we had auditions in November for character parts; that’s when we created two full casts,” Fleming says. “We had a great turnout with lots of talented kids so each cast has two shows of their own.”
Look for other familiar characters: Jiminy Cricket, with a second Jiminy Cricket acting as a narrator, Gepetto, Figaro, coach driver, Stromboli, Cleo the fish, Lampwick a street boy and more.
The students have made all the props and backdrops, notes Fleming proudly.
As well as the well-known characters, big groups of dancers perform as Dutch, Russian, Gypsy, a French can can scene and an ocean scene, complete with sea horses, fish and clams.
“They’re all very excited,” said Fleming, pointing out the dancers were putting on their costumes for first time for a weekend dress rehearsal. “The kids were really getting excited right at the beginning and went home and bugged their parents for the movie.”
Just For Kicks version of Pinocchio is based on the original 1940 Disney film
“It was one of Disney’s first films and the orchestral music from there is beautiful,” raves Fleming. “It’s probably the easiest one I’ve ever choreographed and the what music lent itself to the gestures too.”
Fleming says the five Just For Kicks teachers choreographed their own sections of the recital and many people, including parents, were involved with the costuming.
“It’s great family entertainment, a real sittable show,” says Fleming.
See Pinocchio On Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10 at 6 p.m. and at 1 and 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 11 in the Dance For Kicks Studio, which is in the Quonset behind Centenoka Park Mall.
Tickets at $10 are available at Lucky’s in the Centenoka Park Mall or in the Just For Kicks Dance Store from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday.