Dancing into Tomorrow
May 17, 2023
On April 15 and 16, the Indiana Ballet Theatre performed the production of Coppélia at the Halls of Justice. They also performed April 26 and 27 at Indiana University Northwest. Indiana Ballet Theatre is a nonprofit organization that puts on performances for the public. They have performed the productions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Swan Lake, and Coppélia and Thumblina. This spring they performed Coppélia. Gloria Touhy, CEO, put this ballet together with the help of her daughter, Amanda Touhy, Artist Director.
Dr. Coppélius, a doll-maker, has crafted a beautiful mechanical doll named Coppélia. She is so realistic that the villagers mistake her as being Dr. Coppélius’s daughter. Swanhilda’s fiancée, Franz, even falls in love with her. Driven by her frustration and annoyance that Franz has fallen in love with a doll, Swanhilda sets out to uncover the secret behind the mysterious Coppélia. She and her friend sneak into Dr. Coppélius’s house, only to discover that her rival is nothing more than a mechanical doll. When Dr. Coppélius returns, Swanhilda hides with Coppélia and disguises herself as the doll. Meanwhile, Franz sneaks in to meet Coppélia, but Dr. Coppélius catches him and puts him to sleep, with the intention of using him as a human sacrifice to bring his beloved doll to life. He believes he has succeeded when Coppélia seemingly springs to life, but it is actually Swanhilda dressed up as the doll. When Franz wakes up, Dr. Coppélius realizes he has been tricked, and that Coppélia is in fact, just a doll. The ballet concludes with a happy ending, as Swanhilda forgives Franz for his folly and the two are married.
The next production that Indiana Ballet Theatre will be putting on the modern dance of Kaleidoscope. Amanda Touhy is the main creator of this performance with the help of Kristy Victor, Teacher, and Christie Kamanaroff. This performance will be on June 8, 9 and 10 and rectial being on June 11.
