From Thursday, March 27^th, through Sunday, March 30^th, the Pine Crest ballet program put on four incredible productions of the ballet adaptation of the classic fairytale, Cinderella; one for the lower school, and the others for a general audience.

The dance department has been hard at work for months. Parts were cast in December, and since then, all the dancers have been putting in long hours in preparation for the show. Saturday rehearsals lasting from about 9 am to 5 pm became the norm, and the hard work truly paid off this weekend. As junior Arielle Rozencwaig says, “We have all worked tirelessly to bring Cinderella to life this year, and I can honestly say that experience was one of, if not the, greatest experience of my life.”

Some of the leads included Charly Morretto and Arielle Rozencwaig as Cinderella, Helena Roberts and Natasha Harpalani as the fairy godmother, and everyone’s favorite senior male dancer, William Kaiser, as Prince Charming.

The show had something for everyone, as there was the classic romance between Cinderella and Prince Charming, the humorous and entertaining attempts to be noticed by the stepsisters and stepmother, and, of course, Cinderella’s transformation from a neglected girl to a stunning princess.

For seniors, this weekend marked their last Pine Crest ballet, making it a bittersweet moment for all. Tears were shed during the seniors’ speeches before the show, and all the seniors felt heavy hearted during their final show on Sunday. Senior Natasha Harpalani embodied the feelings of all the senior dancers when she said, “In my final ballet at Pine Crest, I truly cherished my time on stage as the fairy godmother, and I am thankful for Mrs. Gooden, Mrs. C, and Anna for always making us feel special.”

With a flawless stage set and stunning costumes, in addition to the dancers’ enthusiasm during their performances, this year’s production of Cinderella proved to be a great ballet that left the audience loudly applauding.