ballet bible BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO
2024
SCENE 1 • 3-8 QUEEN TRITON’S COURT SCENE 2 • 9-14 THE BEACH SCENE 3 • 15-18 THE OCEAN SURFACE CELEBRATION SCENE 4 • 19-24 ARIEL’S GROTTO SCENE 5 • 25-28 THE VILLAGE
CONTENTS
TABLE OF
SYNOPSIS • 29
THE STORY OF ARIEL, A MERMAID PRINCESS, WHO IS FASCINATED WITH THE HUMAN WORLD AND IS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO BECOME HUMAN.
/ THE ballet bible
scene 1 /
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT
QUEEN TRITON Opening Music prior to opening curtain: Opening Music ~ Curtain opens on Triton’s Court. Props: Triton’s throne - has seaweed noodles on it, Upstage Right, the Shell is behind it Queen Triton Costume:
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT / 03
scene 1 /
UNDER THE SEA
BASICS 1/STARS 101 When the curtain opens it will be the scene of Triton's Court. There will be a backdrop depicting this and Triton throne with "clumps" of seaweed built on small platforms about 3' square wood or cardboard made out of swim noodles. I will send a picture. These props will be placed USR. Will not interfere with choreography or getting dancers on and off stage. These dancers will enter SL and exit SR. Music: Under the Sea / Choreography: Under the Sea Video Costume: A Wish Come True – Octopus Garden 2V2215Y Girls / 2V2215GN Boys
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT / 04
scene 1 /
TRITON’S FANFARE
QUEEN TRITON, MERMAIDS (INT POINTE), 2 DANCERS FOR PROPS These dancers will enter down SR and exit up SR. It is a parade-like procession and will include Queen Triton, and all the mermaids. It will be led by Queen Triton, a school of fish (205) and 6 of the 206/207 holding poles of jellyfish made out of large umbrellas. One pole will be leading and one pole will be at the end. These props will remain on stage held by the dancers through Seahorses or will exit with parade TBD. Two of the jellyfish and Queen Triton will stay on stage during the Seahorses they will remain way US and should not interfere with choreography. Music: Fanfare Props: 2 large jellyfish made out of poles and umbrellas decorated as jellyfish Already built!!!
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT / 05
scene 1 /
THE SEAHORSES
GRADED 1/STARS 102 The dancers will enter SL. Music: Seahorses Costume: Discount Dance - EL689C in yellow Girls / A Wish Come True - At the Beginning 24330 blue shirt and black pants Boys
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT / 06
scene 1 /
THE MERMAIDS
INTERMEDIATE POINTE Queen Triton stays on stage for the Seahorses, and then calls the mermaids onto the stage. At end of piece, we will have Blackout for scene change. Music: Mermaids Costume: Discount Dance Womens Hand Painted camisole Unitard with Womens Lyrical Flow Collection High-Low skirt
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT / 07
scene 1 /
END SCENE 1
AND NOTES At the end of the Mermaid dance there will be a BO. Lights come up on a Beach scene with Ariel seated on a rock. (Rock is TBD) The rock will be located DR. This is where we will be introduced to Ariel with a solo. She will be joined with Scuttle her Seagull friend. Scuttle will also have a short dance where she will be joined with the other characters Flounder and Sebastian as they talk about the human stuff Ariel has collected. The Beach scene will have two dances representing human stuff. Jellyfish are wearing jellyfish hats. The second dance is a dance using scarves as the “human stuff” prop.
QUEEN TRITON’S COURT / 08
scene 2 /
ARIEL AND SCUTTLE DUET
ARIEL, SCUTTLE, FLOUNDER, SEBASTIAN Ariel Solo (Edie) Scuttle, Flounder, Sebastian Dance (Wari, Chisako, Sydney) I would like to build some kind of rock formation using the settee/throne where Ariel is sitting with a large basket that contains "human stuff." I want it to look like she is sitting on the rock looking at the shore. It would be placed way down SR and out of the way. It will be placed so that it doesn't interfere with choreography of Jellyfish and Scarves. This prop will be on stage during Duet, Human Stuff w/characters, Jellyfish and Scarves. Music: Ariel and Scuttle Duet Props: I was thinking of having something that represented a rock, maybe something that could be built on a chair for Ariel to sit on as the scene opens
THE BEACH / 09
scene 2 /
HUMAN STUFF
ARIEL, SCUTTLE, FLOUNDER, SEBASTIAN Ariel Solo (Edie) Scuttle, Flounder, Sebastian Dance (Wari, Chisako, Sydney) This dance is split between the Jellyfish and Scarves. The characters will be on stage during the Jellyfish. They could gather around the rock and freeze or set on the rock in frozen poses. Music: Human Stuff Props: Working on the ROCK - Maybe something that could be built on a chair for Ariel to sit on as the scene opens
THE BEACH / 10
scene 2 /
Ariel Costume(s):
Scuttle Costume:
Flounder Costume:
Sebastian Costume:
THE BEACH / 11
scene 2 /
THE JELLYFISH
BASICS 2 These dancers enter SL and exit SR (we will also have to make a headpiece that looks jellyfish-like - Sofia working on. Also, scarves (3 12" squares of costumelike material) (Sofia working on these too) mounted on elastic or Velcro to be worn on the wrist for the scarves dance. We will make a set that will be studio owned and reused depending on which class is dancing the number). Music: Positoovity / Choreography: Positoovity Video Costumes: A Wish Come True - More More More 24256 Girls / 24310 Boys
BO at end of Scarf Dance. Between these two dances the characters will set up the next dance
THE BEACH / 12
scene 2 /
DANCE OF THE SCARVES
GRADED 2/STARS 103 These dancers enter SL and exit SR. Also, scarves (3 12" squares of costume-like material) mounted on elastic or Velcro to be worn on the wrist for the scarves dance. We will make a set that will be studio owned and reused depending on which class is dancing the number- Sofia working on these scarves). Music: Part of Your World Props: Scarves attached to wrists Costumes: Revolution - “Unconditional” Girls / (NEED BOY COSTUME)
THE BEACH / 13
scene 2 /
END SCENE 2
AND NOTES At the end of this dance Ariel will be holding a scarf as she hears Fireworks and her attention is drawn to a human ship (on cyc) where there is a celebration happening. Fade into a firework backdrop and lights or lights being the fireworks and we have the backdrop the deck of a ship. (from Fireworks to the Ship on cyc)
THE BEACH / 14
scene 3 /
THE FIREWORKS
BALLET 206/206.5 These dancers will enter from both sides of the stage and exit SR. No sets will be on stage. Dancers have hand held props. Music: Fireworks Props: Streamers Costumes: A Wish Come True - Rise Up 24007Y Girls / 11630 Spandex Tank Navy Boys
We use the fireworks as the backdrop for the “Fireworks” dance then we need to fade to a backdrop of the deck of a ship.
THE OCEAN SURFACE CELEBRATION / 15
scene 3 /
SAILOR DANCE
BALLET 205 These dances will enter from both sides of the stage and exit SR. No sets will be on stage. Music: The Sailors Costume: Weissman Showtime - Bon Voyage
At the end of this dance there is a BO
THE OCEAN SURFACE CELEBRATION / 16
scene 4 /
ARIEL’S TREASURES
BALLET 202/203/204 These Dancers will enter SL and exit SR. Ariel will participate with these dancers possibly at the beginning of the dance and for sure at the end of the dance. Elise and Grace have been in communication with Leta. Music: Ariel’s Golden Treasures Costume: Weissmans - Valse Fantasie Gold Girls / A Wish Come True 21862 Sequin Shirt Gold Boys
Triton comes in scatters the treasures and confronts Ariel about going to the surface (short piece of music, Triton Scolds) At this point we could fade into a more ominous feeling to set up Ursula’s lair. This cross fade happens when music changes. This is where we meet Ursula, Flotsam and Jetsam. This is all one piece of music that includes Adv pointe and Beginning pointe. After Ariel makes the deal with Ursula to give up her voice /pointe shoes? she is helped ashore by School of Fish (205).
ariel’s grotto / 17
scene 4 /
TRITON SCOLDS ARIEL
ARIEL & TRITON? Triton Scolds Ariel" - TBD - Ariel's Golden Treasures and Triton Scolding Ariel. This is the correct order. Music: Triton Scolds Ariel
ariel’s grotto / 18
scene 4 /
THE SEAGRASS
BEGINNING POINTE These dances will enter various places and exit SR. Ariel will be helped to the shore by School of Fish (205) Music: Ursula’s Lair and Seagrass Costume: Weissman - One Shoulder Tied Neck Dress D13079 Teal
ariel’s grotto / 19
scene 4 /
URSULA’S LAIR
ADV POINTE: URSULA, ARIEL, FLOTSAM, AND JETSAM These dances will enter various places and exit SR. Ariel will be helped to the shore by Phillip and Nate TBD. Music: Ursula Costume:
ariel’s grotto / 20
scene 5 /
VILLAGERS/ TOWNSPEOPLE
BALLET 207/208 These dances will enter various places and exit SR. School of Fish involved with this piece. Need a black and white stark village on cyc. Music: The Villagers Costume: Weissman - The Dying Swan 13293
This is the scene where Ariel lives with the humans for 40 weeks (per her deal with Ursula) to see if she can become “one of them” even though she can’t speak. In the end, Ariel decides the ocean is where she belongs and she returns to the sea world and her family and lives HEA (happily ever after).
the village / 21
scene 5 /
HAPPY MUSIC/ CURTAIN CALL
MAIN CHARACTERS This piece is included with above music/choreography. Ariel is reunited with her family. Curtain call should be the characters. School of Fish and Jellyfish (just the big ones, 6, jordyn o, quincy, brielle, pri, makayla, leena or ella W, whoever fits in costume)
My idea is to have the villagers in black and white which is a very stark contrast from the bright underworld.
the village / 22
THE LITTLE MERMAID
SYNOPSIS Ariel a mermaid princess is dissatisfied with her underwater life, but is fascinated by the human world. With her best friend Flounder, Ariel visits Scuttle a seagull that helps her collect human stuff, which she keeps in her grotto. During her visit to the surface Ariel sees a celebration on a ship and decides she wants to experience human life, so she decides to find a way to become one. Queen Triton finds out that Ariel has been to the surface and has risked her safety to collect human stuff, which she hides in her secret grotto. Her mother confronts her and through her frustration and effort to protect her daughter ruins Ariel’s treasures and forbids her to go to the surface. With the help of two Eels, Flotsam and Jetsam she meets Ursula the sea witch. Ursula tells her that there is a way to become human, but it would require great sacrifice. The sea witch tells her she will have to give up her voice and live on land for 40 weeks. If she could do that, then she would become human forever. Ariel gives up her voice and swims to shore. She finds a small village where she can live and starts her new life as a human. At first, it is difficult for Ariel. She couldn’t speak, so she has trouble communicating with others. But over time, she makes new friends. When her time is up, Ariel returns to the ocean and regains her voice. Although Ariel enjoys her time as a human, she realizes that being a mermaid is where she belongs. She returns to her home in the ocean, grateful for the experience but happy to be back where she belongs.
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