Fairy Tale on Pointe

Annabelle Brinkhous as Snow White. Photo courtesy of Oregon Ballet Academy.

Oregon Ballet Academy brings a beloved fairy tale to life onstage at Lane Community College’s Ragozzino Performance Hall with Snow White and the Seven Dancing Dwarfs — a production filled with elegant choreography, sweeping music and the dedication of local dancers who’ve poured their hearts into every step.

The spring production runs Friday, May 23, at 7 pm, and Saturday, May 24, at 2 and 7 pm, on the Building 6 Main Stage at Lane. Brought to life by OBA’s dedicated young dancers, this reimagining of the classic tale is powered by students who train year-round, committing to several rehearsals each week to bring their best to the stage.

“This is such a family friendly and accessible production,” says Megan Murphy, OBA’s administrative director and mom to two dancers in the academy. “They work as hard as athletes and they just don’t get the same public support or recognition.”

Murphy co-founded the academy with her husband, artistic director John Grensback, in 2003. Since then, OBA has grown into a tight-knit community for young dancers across the region. The school’s spring and winter performances give these students a chance to shine — and show off months of hard work.

“They have really pushed themselves 110 percent,” Murphy says.

This year’s production features two longtime OBA dancers sharing the role of Snow White: 17-year-old Annabelle Brinkhous, who’s trained with the academy for eight years, and 18-year-old Mizuki Maddock, who joined the studio at age 11.

“I really like the partnering and just the dancing in general with everyone,” says Brinkhous, reflecting on the magic of being part of a big production.

“I just love performing with my friends. These are the people I am closest to, I just love being around them,” says Maddock.

The two leads typically split the role evenly, but this year’s schedule came with a few complications. “We usually have four shows where we do two shows each, but because ticket sales have been lower we have been doing three shows,” Maddock says. “Because I am a senior I have two shows and Annabelle has one.”

Oregon Ballet Academy presents Snow White and the Seven Dancing Dwarfs at 7 pm Friday, May 23, and 2 and 7 pm on Saturday, May 24, at Lane Community College Building 6 Main Stage 107; tickets start at $20; more info at OregonBalletAcademy.com.

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