Lavrova Ballet Academy

Pinocchio

Date: Saturday, June 25

Time: 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.  

Admission: $15/$12

Venue: Chief Sepass Theatre, 91原创 Fine Arts School, 9096 Trattle St.

Tickets: Door or #16-19257 Enterprise Way

A long rack of fluffy pink tutus lines the vast mirrored wall inside the Lavrova Ballet Academy.

They hang there, all but ignored for the time being, as rehearsals begin in the dance studio on the 91原创-Surrey border on a Thursday afternoon.

The dancers, dressed in simple leotards and tights, and ranging in age from five to 18, file in ahead of their two-hour long practice.

They are preparing for an upcoming performance of Pinocchio 鈥� an original ballet, choreographed by Irina Lavrova, the studio鈥檚 Ukrainian-born founder and head instructor.

Later, the wide net skirts will transform a dozen or more little girls wearing pale blue bodysuits into pretty pink flowers when the scene shifts to a forest. But for now, 15-year-old Holly Geyer and the rest of the cast will run through the ballet鈥檚 opening scenes, which take place, appropriately, in a toy shop.

Holly, a Grade 9 student at Walnut Grove Secondary, was hand selected by Lavrova to dance the lead role of the puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy.

She has been dancing since she was three years old and was thrilled to learn last January that she would take centre stage in the production which will be performed twice on Saturday, June 25 at 91原创 Fine Arts School.

The challenge of this role, she said, is that it requires almost as much acting as dancing. She must first move as a wooden puppet would before Pinocchio鈥檚 eventual transformation to a little boy.

The role of the lonely toy maker, Gepetto, will be played by the studio鈥檚 senior dancer, Jessa Leroux.

The two shows 鈥� beginning at 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. 鈥� will open with a number of dance routines which have been performed in competitions throughout the year, before the dancers take to the stage in the second act to bring the famous story to life.

Once Pinocchio is behind her, Holly won鈥檛 be hanging up her ballet slippers for the summer. Instead, for four weeks in July and August, she鈥檒l attend the American Ballet Theatre in Texas, where she will study a range of dance styles, from classical ballet, to modern, lyrical and jazz dance.

Holly and her mother had to drive all the way to Seattle for her audition, but it was worth it, said the teen.

鈥淏ecause I really like dancing.鈥�