The board, staff and students of Mendocino Ballet are feeling the renewing energy of Spring: a new façade on the front of their building with a surprising history; an upcoming Spring Dance Performance and the guidance of an interim director with a direct connection to the ballet company.
Mendocino Ballet Interim Director Esther Hansen demonstrates a movement for dancers rehearsing for their upcoming Spring dance fundraiser. Hansen is returning to teach in Ukiah after originally taking ballet lessons from Mary Knight. (The Ukiah Daily Journal)“A Springtime Suite: Coppélia Act 2 and Little Land” is the Ballet’s Spring fundraiser, taking place on May 31 at 7 p.m. and June 1 at 2 p.m. The performances take place at the Mendocino College Center Theater.
While rehearsals have been ongoing under the guidance of Esther Hansen, interim director, a flurry of work is also happening on the outside of their historic building.
“Last spring, the building’s façade fell down and tore through our awning,” explains board member Lisa Frost. “We connected with the Mendocino Historical Society. You can see in the photos that this building was the … post office for Ukiah, which we didn’t realize until the façade came down and we could see the original lettering on the building. The Historical Society shared a bunch of photos with us. Later, in the ‘50’s it became a surplus store.”
The board decided to restore the façade’s appearance to resemble the original design as closely as possible. “It was suggested that we install a simpler awning, so it doesn’t take away from the beauty of the façade,” Frost continues.
The recent facade removal of the Mendocino Ballet building revealed a hidden secret: in 1917, the building was once the Ukiah Post Office. The collapse of the facade resulted in a need for immediate repair, and the Board of the Ballet decided to restore the facade to resemble the original as much as possible. (Contributed – courtesy of Mendocino Ballet)While this project continues on, an effort is being made to raise enough funds to complete a renovation of the upstairs floors and other portions of the building.
“It’s so important to honor what happens between the walls of this building,” says Frost. “Friendships are formed, and dancers learn to see and connect with something bigger than themselves – regardless of whether they become professional dancers.”
Following the retirement of Trudy McCreanor after 20 years as the artistic director, Esther Hansen expressed interest in being the organization’s interim director.
“Esther came back to Ukiah with her young family to teach with us, which has been wonderful,” says Frost. “She’s brought our tech standards into the 21st century and kept the level of dance education at a very high standard.” Hansen is working with several choreographers on the Spring performance. When she lived in Ukiah, Hansen danced here under the tutelage of Mary Knight.
Coppélia is a ballet originally performed in 1870, which hasn’t been performed by the Mendocino Ballet for over 20 years. The libretto was based upon E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short story Der Sandmann. For the Spring performance, the ballet company is presenting Act II.
“We’re very excited that Eddie Haehl from the Ukiah Players Theatre will be joining us as a lead dancer and a narrator of the synopsis of Act 1,” says Hansen. The lighthearted, comedic story begins with the betrothal of Franz and Swanhilda. But Franz appears to be smitten with a doll which sits lifelessly in the window of the home of a mysterious inventor, Dr. Coppélius. Swanhilda, wondering about the nature of her rival, gains access to the home of Dr. Coppélius, at the same time that Franz makes his own plans to meet up with Coppélia, the doll.
Act 2 begins with Swanhilda finding herself in Dr. Coppélius’ home, in a room filled with life-sized dolls, including Coppélia. The magic and macabre continue from there – with many reviewers comparing Dr. Coppélius to the Nutcracker’s Herr Drosselmeyer.
The second portion of the concert presents an interpretation of the poem, “Little Land” by Robert Louis Stevenson, which features the musings of a little girl, reduced to the size of an insect, marveling at the wonders of nature. Stevenson’s poem will be read by Haehl.
“We will also introduce some new pieces, including two solos that our Company Dancers will be competing to be performed at the Regional Dance America national festival,” says Hansen. A piece by Hansen entitled “Anchored and Adrift” will also be performed.
Enrollment for summer camps is taking place. “There are one-week to three-week options for kids of all ages. For our younger kids 3-11 years old, we will have two dance classes a day, craft time, and group/team building and circle time. Kids 3-6 and 7-11 will be split into separate groups for dance classes. Everyone will come together for craft time and circle/team time. Summer Dance Crew is for dancers ages 12-18 and will focus on a combination of acting, improv, choreography, anatomy, turns, flexibility improvement, ankle strengthening, and tumbling at Starz gym, with additional cardio, strength training, floor barre or Pilates. There will also be a Summer Intensive in August, where dancers are selected to their levels for the Fall,” Frost concludes.
Tickets for the Springtime Suite are available at Mendocino Ballet, Brown Bear Toys Mazahar in Willits and at www.mendocinoballet.org. For more information about Mendocino Ballet and the Summer programs, visit the website or phone (707) 463-2290.
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