Interview with Debra Cash on her “Enchanted Ballet” for the Zeiterion’s Dance Barre Series

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Become enchanted again.

In our younger years our imaginations were inspired by the wonderment of fairy tales, abounding with characters and plots that captivated us and brought us fantastic adventures. These fascinations can be rekindled when the Zeiterion Theatre welcomes a pair of events that will inform as much as they entertain and enthrall, seducing us with heightened pageantry and exquisite skill as they reinterpret a classic story of Cinderella through the artistry of a grand ballet format.

And if your only take on ballet is curiosity, the Zeiterion has you in mind. You need only be a fan of fantasy with an appreciation for world class talent. So it is when the internationally renowned Moscow Festival Ballet performs “Cinderella” on Friday, May 6 at the Zeiterion. But before the curtain ever opens on this performance, another widely recognized dance expert will offer an opportunity to see how ballet magic is made, using a casual format to ease observers into a fun and breezy understanding of this sometimes serious art form.

On Wednesday, April 13, the acclaimed ballet authority, Debra Cash, will be the guest speaker at the Zeiterion’s Dance Barre Series. Her “Enchanted Ballet” presentation is an opportunity for participants to gain a deeper and more thorough understanding of ballet. Those in attendance will receive an informal but valuable introduction to ballet that will explore this form of expression that has entertained audiences for centuries. The event is free and lasts from 7 to 8 p.m. Each admission includes a complimentary glass of wine. Those who wish to attend can R.S.V.P at www.zeiterion.org to guarantee a seat.

Debra Cash

In January the Zeiterion offered a similar seminar called “Cracking the Dance Code,” which gave participants insight on modern dance. The event was filled to capacity.

“Don’t be afraid of ballet,” Cash says. “I want people who attend my talk to be at ease, to relax and enjoy themselves. I want to create a format where all questions are welcome. Ballet is like any form of theatre – it’s designed to attract your eyes and ears. There’s something for everyone. You don’t need to know the names of the steps to understand that the dancers are graceful and doing things that have taken them a lifetime to master. Anyone can appreciate the stage craft, the artistry and how the movements relate to the music.

“Some dreams never grow old. They never lose their magic.”

Cash is a prominent voice on ballet in the New England region. Currently the Executive Director for the Boston Dance Alliance, her resume is significant. A longtime consultant for the National Endowment for the Arts and the New England Foundation for the Arts, her 30-year career has included reporting, teaching and lecturing on dance, the performing arts, design and cultural policy for print, broadcast, and the Internet. She was a dance critic for the Boston Globe for 17 years, followed by five years at National Public Radio. Formerly a professor of Dance History and World Dance at Emerson College, Cash earned her B.A. at Brandeis and her Master’s Degree in Design Studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Cash sees an element to “Cinderella” that may unify much of the audience.

“Everybody wishes they had a fairy godmother,” she says. “The dancers create an environment where Cinderella can look as though she has transcended her situation. What you see in Cinderella is a young girl who expresses frustration, who dreams and then gets her wish by getting to go to a party wearing incredible clothes.”

Cash’s talk will include two video excerpts that will articulate how different choreography has been applied to “Cinderella” throughout the years, giving people a sense of the variety of creative approaches that can possibly be applied to a single work. Cash says that there is no age requirement in order to appreciate the Moscow troupe’s interpretation.

“We all know the Disney version of “Cinderella,” but the ballet will offer a different perspective,” Cash points out. “This talk will be family-friendly – parents and guardians can bring their kids whether they’ve ever taken a formal dance lesson. ‘Cinderella’ is a great introduction to the theatre because everybody knows the story.”

But for those who may not be able to attend the Russian performance on May 6, those who attend Cash’s talk can still apply what they have learned to most any ballet.

“I’m hoping to give people some valuable cultural knowledge that can stay with them and help them appreciate this great art form for the rest of their lives.”


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