72 local dancers bringing Aladdin to RRCA stage

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
·5 min read

MONROE — Just a week before the River Raisin Ballet Co. was to stage the Aladdin ballet in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. After months of rehearsals and several attempts to reschedule, the show was eventually canceled.

Now, the company is trying again. The RRBC’s second-ever production of Aladdin is set for this weekend at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St.

“We are dedicating this year’s performance to all those senior students who prepared so long in 2020 and were ready and excited to perform in their last RRBC ballet production,” said Gail Choate-Pettit, RRBC director.

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Joshua Mohler as the evil sorcerer Jafar looks at the carpet offered by Sultan, played by Matthew Pettrey, in the marketplace scene of Aladdin. This weekend's show at the River Raisin Centre of the Arts will be performed by 72 dancers from the River Raisin Ballet Company.
Joshua Mohler as the evil sorcerer Jafar looks at the carpet offered by Sultan, played by Matthew Pettrey, in the marketplace scene of Aladdin. This weekend's show at the River Raisin Centre of the Arts will be performed by 72 dancers from the River Raisin Ballet Company.

Set in ancient Arabia, the ballet follows Aladdin, who uses a genie’s magic lamp to attempt to win the love of Jasmine. In the process, he must foil the plans of evil sorcerer Jafar. Scenes are set in the marketplace, desert, cave and palace.

The cast features 72 dancers, including three adults: Joshua Mohler, who returns as Jafar, a role he played in 2016; Matthew Pettrey, who dances as Genie; and Jeff Boze, who plays Sultan. Two of the young dancers — Nathan Glover and Maddie Strozeski — are graduating seniors.

Nathan Glover as Aladdin and Emily Bellino as Jasmine leap during rehearsals for the first act of Aladdin.
Nathan Glover as Aladdin and Emily Bellino as Jasmine leap during rehearsals for the first act of Aladdin.

Emily Bellino and Nathan both had small roles for the RRBC's first Aladdin production in 2016. This year, they play the leads; Nathan 17, is Aladdin and Emily, 16, is Jasmine.

“Nathan brings the Aladdin character to life with his strong acting,” Choate-Pettit said.

In fact, because of Nathan's skills, Choate-Pettit had to adapt the role.

Nathan Glover as Aladdin lifts Emily Bellino as Jasmine in the marketplace scene in the first act of Aladdin.
Nathan Glover as Aladdin lifts Emily Bellino as Jasmine in the marketplace scene in the first act of Aladdin.

“The dancing and acting for Aladdin have changed to suit Nathan, who has wonderful acting and dancing experience. He is a very talented young man who was recently given a scholarship to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. We were thrilled to have Nathan return to our stage in his senior year to perform,” she said.

Nathan, a senior at Toledo’s Whitmer High School, has danced since he was 4. He was surprised to be cast as Aladdin, and said it’s been a challenge.

“There is a lot of new work I’ve never really worked on before, like partnering. The most difficult dance in the show is probably the entirety of the palace scene,” Nathan said.

Emily, a dancer since age 5, played the lead role of Clara in RRBC's 2019 Nutcracker ballet. As Jasmine, she’s on stage almost the entire show.

“It is a lot of dancing, and it is a lot of different little sections to remember, especially the order in which everything goes. There are very few breaks that I have; it is probably the most dancing I have ever done,” said Emily, a junior at St. Mary Catholic Central High School. “My favorite dance would have to be the (partnering) that I do with Aladdin after the wedding scene; it is challenging, yet so much fun to dance and perform.”

Rainbow fans Hadley Himes and Jaclyn Lyall dance in Aladdin's palace scene.
Rainbow fans Hadley Himes and Jaclyn Lyall dance in Aladdin's palace scene.

“Emily is a strong dancer with a quick mind for choreography,” Choate-Pettit said. “She has risen to the challenge.”

Emily was supposed to split the Jasmine role with Kynzie Riegel, who suffered two non-dance-related foot fractures in February. Kynzie, a dancer since the age of 3, learned in March she’d have to miss her final RRBC production.

“It left me heartbroken,” said Kynzie, a senior at Ida High School. She plans to be in the audience this weekend.

“I couldn’t possibly miss a chance to watch my peers grace the stage. I am so proud of them all,” Kynzie said.

Mariska Lewandowski as the Sorcer's Bird was hypnotized by Jafar, played by Joshua Mohler.
Mariska Lewandowski as the Sorcer's Bird was hypnotized by Jafar, played by Joshua Mohler.

This weekend’s performance features a few roles and dances that differ from the 2016 production. There also are several new costumes.

“This year, the role of Abu, danced by Rowan Westerlund, plays a larger role,” Choate-Pettit said. “Isabella Arnold set a new contemporary piece for the desert sand scene and re-staged the cave shadows, as well. Melissa Moore re-choreographed the beautiful jewel dances for the cave scene, and we also changed the action scenes to tell the story more clearly.”

Hadley Stansberry starts the dance in the desert winds scene of Aladdin.
Hadley Stansberry starts the dance in the desert winds scene of Aladdin.

New costumes for 2024 include the attire for Jasmine's friends in the palace scene. All the comany's costumes are designed and created by Dyanne Morehouse.

“We had more palace attendants and little sapphires than our first production, so additional costumes were made. The lead sapphire, the diamond lead and the Raja costumes are all new for 2024,” Choate-Pettit said.

The director is looking forward to this weekend's performances.

Matthew Pettrey as Genie entertains Rowan Westerlund as Abu and Nathan Glover as Aladdin in the cave scene of Aladdin.
Matthew Pettrey as Genie entertains Rowan Westerlund as Abu and Nathan Glover as Aladdin in the cave scene of Aladdin.

“Each scene offers something special that I love,” she said. “I love the excitement and bustle of the market scene. I think that the new desert scene is stunning. The cave scene is dynamic with varied dances that are sure to please the audience with color and movement. The fight scene between the Genie, Aladdin and Jafar makes me laugh every time. The palace closes the story with the magic carpet that glides across the stage in low-lying fog. It is hard to choose my favorite.”

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Aladdin will begin at 7 p.m. April 19-20 and at 2 p.m. April 20-21 at the RRCA. Tickets range from $9-29 and are available by calling 734-242-7722, visiting the box office at 114 S. Monroe Street and at riverraisincentre.org. AAC Property Restoration is the show’s sponsor.

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: 72 local dancers bringing Aladdin to RRCA stage