In their pristine white tutus and feathered adornments, the dancers of the Indianapolis Youth Ballet Company radiate grace as they flit around the stage.
They had been working for weeks on the intricacies of the famed “Swan Lake,” one of the most well-known ballets in the world. That is on top of years learning the foundational dances of ballet itself, long hours of practice and lessons.
But when the performance comes together, it is breathtaking.
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“There is nothing more beautiful than 20, 25 dancers on stage in their tutus. That’s what moves people,” said Kathryn Simpson, founder of the ballet company.
The Indianapolis Youth Ballet Company will be performing “Swan Lake” Saturday at the Franklin Performing Arts Center. The two shows, one at 2 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m., will feature dancers from all over central Indiana swirling, leaping and gliding around the stage.
The Indianapolis Youth Ballet Company was founded as a way for young local dancers to explore the world of ballet. The company is an extension of Tippy Toes Dance Studio, a southside Indianapolis studio that has been teaching the art of dance to youths for decades.
More than 1,000 students take classes at the studio, from preschoolers up to high school-aged dancers. All of them are introduced to elements of ballet, Simpson said.
“The goal, almost to every little girl who comes here, is to be in this ballet company. And they don’t have to do anything but stick with it,” she said. “It gives the little girls something to work towards to be in when they’re older.”
The idea to start the ballet company came as a way for Simpson to create a program for older students who wanted to continue dancing. Because every student gets instruction in ballet, it made sense to create a company that focused strictly on that style and delved more deeply into it.
Simpson and her daughters Ashley Manship and Scharmaine Lakstins, the ballet company co-directors, try to run the program as if it were a professional ballet, only without the strict regimen those companies impose on their dancers.
Auditions are held for the company, though everyone is accepted into the program if they try out, Simpson said. The auditions help to place students into proper dance categories — principal dancers, soloists and the corps de ballet — depending on their talent level and depth of knowledge of ballet.
“We have always felt that every young girl should be able to experience ballet. They can still experience it at some level, no matter what their ability is,” Simpson said.
Every year, the ballet stages its major performance. In the past, the company has done performances such as “Coppélia,” “Paquita,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “Cinderella.”
“Swan Lake” is always a special performance, though.
“It has this incredible music, that’s extremely emotional,” Simpson said. “You think of white birds — feathers and white tutus. It really is a pretty way to show that emotion.”
The ballet was written by masterful Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The story revolves around Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. Tchaikovsky’s score is instantly recognizable, with music that has permeated popular culture.
Work on the ballet has been ongoing since the start of the year, as the company of more than 100 dancers has perfected their moves.
Seeing the group come together as a team has been incredible, Simpson said.
“In sports, you have a team and everyone works together. That is definitely there in terms of the ballet. Everyone respects each other; you’d think there might be competition, but there’s not,” she said. “In rehearsal, they’re all clapping and encouraging. It’s genuine teamwork.”
The Indianapolis Youth Ballet Company version of the play is slightly restaged; the original version was written for adults, so instances of violence or other upsetting content is glossed over, Simpson said.
But the core important of the performance remains.
“We can’t do everything in the ballet, so we purposely do it so it’s family-friendly. And they love it,” Simpson said.
During the two performances Saturday, ballet staff has added flourishes for the audience to make it more exciting. Attending children will receive a feathered tiara to fit into the “Swan Lake” theme.
And then afterwards, a reception with cookie is a celebration for the performers’ hard work.
“We want to make it fancy for everyone,” Simpson said.
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“Swan Lake”
Who: The Indianapolis Youth Ballet Company
When: 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Franklin Performing Arts Center, 2600 Cumberland Drive
Tickets: $6 to $12
Information: franklinschools.org/pac
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