Ballet company kicks off its season with classic 'Sleepy Hollow' tale

Ballet may be best known for its intrinsic beauty and grace, but the Manassas Ballet Theatre couples those characteristics with a darker side in its production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas.

The production opens the company’s 2011-12 season, which also includes “The Nutcracker,” “Peter and the Wolf” and “Swan Lake.” All productions are held at the Hylton center and accom­panied by the Manassas Ballet Theatre Orchestra.

The ballet is an interpretation of the classic short story by Wash­ington Irving, in which Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones battle for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel, and an encounter with the mys­terious Headless Horseman one autumn evening tips the scales in one suitor’s favor.“This is actually the second time we’ve performed ‘Sleepy Hollow,’” said Sara Gaydash, a five-year veteran dancer and teacher with the Manassas Ballet Theatre. “We’re very closely fol­lowing the original story with this production, but we’re also adding our own twists to it. The score is made up of bits and pieces of compositions our art and music directors composed.”

Eight students from the theater’s ballet academy will also perform in the show.

The theater has been busy for the past month preparing for the production. Part of the company’s packed schedule includes its edu­cational outreach program, and students at Godwin Elementary School in Woodbridge got to see a sample of the dancers’ hard work firsthand during their visit Oct. 5.

“Usually, we have six schools that we reach out to, and we always offer them a ticket to see an upcoming show,” Gaydesh said. “When we come to the schools, we show them a little of what we’re working on. It’s a way to help expose them to something might not normally experience.”

The theater presents a 60- to 90-minute show that includes excerpts from a performance, as well as background and history of the piece and ballet itself. A ques­tion- and-answer session allows students to learn more about the dancers.

The best thing about perform­ing arts, Gaydesh said, is that it is a great outlet for creativity.

“Kids may search for ages for something and never really find anything that clicks,” she said.

“Maybe someone in the audience will see this and realize that they enjoy it, and that they can do it, too.”

The preparation for a produc­tion is very intense, Gaydesh said. Every morning includes technique classes to warm up, followed by four-hour rehearsals during the week. On Saturdays, rehearsals extend to six hours. 

Dancers spend those hours learning and perfecting the new choreography. 

The company usually spends six weeks developing a show before it is presented to the public. 

With Halloween right around the corner, Gaydesh said, it’s a perfect opportunity for people to get into the spirit of the holiday while enjoying a live performance — something that might be an afterthought when looking for seasonal activities around town. 

“I think it will look really great on stage,” Gaydesh said. “It’s so great when you add the lights and the atmosphere. It’ll be a bit more spooky. Plus, you have to remember that it’s beautiful dancing. And it’s something different, something a bit out of the box for Halloween.” 

Tickets are available at the Hylton Performing Arts Center box office at 703-993-7759 or directly from the Manassas Ballet Theatre at 703-257-1811. 

Staff writer Tamika Matthews can be reached at 703-530-3909.