Photo by: John Gerbetz

Nika Jurich as The Little Mermaid and Samuel "Taggart" Frost as The Prince in Lise la Cour's THE LITTLE MERMAID  performed by Ballet San Jose School in the California Theater in downtown San Jose.

LOCATION:
The California Theater
345 South First Street in downtown San Jose

TICKETS:
Children: $16-$42
Adults: $21-$47

BOX OFFICE: 408) 288-2800 www.balletsanjose.org


The Little Mermaid, a colorful and unique ballet, is a production guaranteed to entertain, especially when presented  by the professional division students of Ballet San Jose School. With choreography by Lise la Cour, commissioned musical score by composer Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, and scenery & costumes designed by Bjórn Wiinblad, this particular ballet is more than a welcomed event associated with spring's arrival. This jewel in the crown keeps the renown ballet company on the map for creative talent. Utilizing not just the sets, costumes and music source material from the original 1992 Royal Danish Ballet production, the esteemed Lise la Cour, former school director of the Royal Danish Ballet, brings knowledge and experience to an anticipated production that ballet professionals and fans look forward to watching. 

Capably handling the role as Director of Ballet San Jose School (the only school in the South Bay connected with a professional ballet company,) Lise la Cour significantly helped make this Little Mermaid one of the truest to the look and feel of the original.

For newcomers, The Little Mermaid is the perfect introduction to ballet. Offering whimsical elements, romance and themes to draw you in on an emotional level, the story is based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, but appeals to all ages. As it unfolds through dance, spectacular costumes and dramatic stage lighting, a 15-year-old mermaid takes the audience on a journey through her growing up. When she ventures from the bottom of the sea where she lives with her father and older sisters to the water's surface, she sees a handsome prince falls madly in love with. Restlessly longing for this mortal, the Little Mermaid barters with a sea witch for the rights to walk on land with legs and shed her tail. Many surprises await the innocent mermaid girl as she attempts to come to terms with reality and the trade-offs required to obtain what seems like the impossible dream.

Previous productions from Ballet San Jose have included classic and contemporary ballets such as The Firebird, Just Balanchine and the annual classic, The Nutrcracker.
 

About Ballet San Jose School: The school has 360 students ages 4 to adult and offers both an open division
and a professional track program.