Fort Wayne Ballet proves the old saying that great things often come in small packages when they present Thumbelina as part of their Family Series. 

Brought to life by the trainees of FWB and pre-professional students of Auer Academy, this show is perfect for the entire family, especially the little ones. 

The performance will last approximately 30 minutes, followed by a creative movement experience and craft activities for an hour. 

There will be two performances on Saturday, Feb. 24, at Fort Wayne Ballet’s Studio A in Auer Center for Arts and Culture. The first show begins at 10 a.m. followed by another at noon.

Fairy tale

Written in 1835 by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, Thumbelina is about a fairy born from a flower and no larger than a thumb. This little girl is kidnapped by toads and promised in marriage to Mr. Mole. However, Thumbelina must escape them all to find her Flower Prince.

Raleigh Sparrow, co-director of the FWB Youth Company, is thrilled to bring this story to the stage with her counterpart Avalou Burns. 

“Thumbelina was performed by FWB a really long time ago, before I was here,” Sparrow said. “It was always one of those stories I really loved growing up, so I really wanted to try and bring it to life.” 

Of course, this version of Thumbelina will be ballet, with a hint of musical theater choreographed by Sparrow and Burns. 

“It will be mostly ballet, but there is an old-timey musical theater number in there, and there is also a salsa-inspired number,” Sparrow said. “This show will definitely keep the dancers and the audience on their toes.”

Karen Gibbons-Brown, artistic director of FWB, is a guest choreographer for one piece in this show. 

“It’s really great to see the students grow and develop,” Gibbons-Brown said. “I’ve had a blast working with them in rehearsals.”

A family experience

Thumbelina will be unique compared to traditional FWB performances since it is part of their Family Series. 

This show is truly catered toward FWB’s youngest audience members with a shorter runtime and intimate seating. 

“I think my favorite thing about the Family Series performances is seeing the kids’ reaction in the audience because they’re so close to the dancers,” Sparrow said.

This proximity to the action has created the opportunity for comical moments. 

Sparrow recounted a time that a 1-year-old decided to “waddle up on stage” with the dancers and join the show.

“The dancers were great about it,” Sparrow said. “They just rolled with the punches.”

Sparrow also talked about how fun it is for kids to see the fairy tales their parents grew up hearing. 

“Last year, when we performed Peter Pan, there was a mom who realized her child had never seen Peter Pan before,” Sparrow said. “She came up to me and said that she had to go home and show her child the movie after the show.”

This is a wonderful example of how Family Series shows are a great experience for parents and kids alike. 

Interacting with dancers

In addition to the 30-minute performances, kids will also be invited to join the dancers in a creative movement class and to create a craft related to the show. 

The creative movement class will be led by Burns, who also teaches the little kids at the Auer Academy. 

This 10-15 minute class will give aspiring ballet dancers the chance to see what taking a real dance class is like. The dancers who performed in Thumbelina will join the class. 

“The kids and the dancers have a lot of fun with it,” Sparrow said. “The dancers love teaching the kids and the kids love to see the dancers, still in their costumes, doing the class with them.”

Gigi McDowell, a pre-professional student of the Auer Academy, finds particular joy in being able to share her love of dance with the young ones. 

“The interactions that we have with the kids is what makes the Family Series shows so special to me,” she said. “We work really hard in the rehearsals leading up to the shows. 

“Getting to see the faces and reactions of the kids who see us makes all the hours of work worthwhile. It is so gratifying to be able to spread my passion for dance to the kids and give them a positive and memorable experience.” 

Lessons learned

The Youth Company and pre-professional division of FWB’s Auer Academy present unique opportunities for local dancers. 

“The intent of the Youth Company and the pre-professional division is to allow our students to grow through dance,” Gibbons-Brown said of the company comprised of ages 12-20. 

“The Family Series gives our younger students in the academy the opportunity to be responsible for their own show. They get to experience what it’s like from the beginning to the end, from concept to completion. Young dance students don’t often get to do that.

“So this is a unique experience for our young dancers, but it also starts to prepare them for a more serious approach to dance as a potential career. A lot of people don’t realize that it really can be a career.”

McDowell, who will be performing the role of Mamma Toad, loves the opportunity the Family Series shows give her to embody new characters. 

“Mamma Toad is full of energy and loves to perform, which makes the character really fun to rehearse,” she said. “It’s always super-fun to portray a humorous character that makes people laugh.” 

The Auer Academy, which fosters a nurturing environment for students to grow as dancers, also fosters close friendships among the dancers. 

“I am excited to have fun onstage with my friends and perform a story that the little kids in the audience will know and enjoy,” said Alexis Andrews, a pre-professional student. “I’m excited to share moments with my friends onstage with such a fun story and fun choreography. 

“The show is certainly high energy, which makes it that much more fun and exciting to perform.” 

Sparrow, who grew up in the Auer Academy and participated in many shows as a member of the Youth Company, feels it is a full-circle moment. 

“It’s a unique experience to be able to understand what my Youth Company directors experienced now that I’m in their shoes,” she said.