Local dancers perform in Never Never Land

Times Reporter 

 

The tale of Peter Pan is coming to the University of Calgary stage this weekend when Alberta Dance Theatre (ADT) performs Never Never Land. 

“Every year we try to do a different classic children’s book that we base our shows on,” said Artistic Director Deanne Walsh. 

“We went with that story just because there is so much movement in the book, there is just so much that lends itself nicely to create movement with. Peter Pan just has so many fantastic beautiful images that it was just an easy choice to choose a story like that.”

The show, which runs Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, will feature two Strathmore dancers. Neve Raycroft, 11, has been dancing and performing with ADT for years. For Lane Habing, 7, it is her first year with the theatre troupe.

Both girls have multiple dances within the show, but both also have a favourite that sticks out for them.

“I’d have to say in one of my dances where there’s lots of boys we have a slow motion fight thing and that is a ton of fun,” said Raycroft.

“I like all of them because it is so fun, but the one that I really like best is ‘the boy who wouldn’t grow up’ because there’s a lot of prop making while you’re dancing and you get to use toys,” said Habing. 

Each also has a costume they like above the rest. 

“My favourite costume out of the ones I have seen so far would have to be my windows dance. That one we’re children in a nursery and they are these sheer dresses and then we have our green unitards underneath. It is just really flowy and really pretty,” said Raycroft. 

For Habing it’s the morph suit that she wears in her shadow dance. 

“It’s something that covers your face, and your hands and your feet and everything, all you can see is black you can’t really tell who is who. It’s kind of cool and it’s fabric over your face but you can see. It’s kind of really cool how it looks,” said Habing. 

For Walsh, when the stage is transformed into the mermaid’s lagoon she finds it quite striking how they are able to convert the space using fabrics to create this watery lagoon in front of your eyes. 

“I also love so many images that are from the book such as when Peter loses his shadow. It’s our youngest group that dances that and one of them is Peter Pan and the rest of the group, they’re all his shadows. So he’s sort of being chased and his shadows are playing games on him and things like that, so that’s a really fun scene as well,” said Walsh. 

Being a dancer can mean a very hectic schedule, but it is one that both Raycroft and Habing seem to thrive on. 

“It’s a great way to express yourself and to connect with other people that you maybe didn’t know before. It’s just a lot of fun to do,” said Raycroft. 

She loves coming back to ADT each year and getting the chance to see how everyone has grown in their dance. 

‘I think each new year everyone has progressed so much more and everyone’s just so much more talented,” said Raycroft. 

“It’s really fun because you get to do lots of silly parts,” said Habing.

Being the only girl in her family, it was an easy choice for mom Becky to put Habing into dance. Becky said Lane was so adorable and cute she just had to. 

“She watched her first end of the year show when she was three and watched her teacher dance on stage all by herself, she says to me I want to dance on the big stage all by myself just like Ms. Stephanie,” said Becky.

Habing’s passion for the art has grown since then and she continuously wants to do more and go further with her dancing career. 

Tickets to the show are $20 before Nov. 29 or $25 at the door and are available online at Ucalgary.ca/tickets or by calling 403-220-7202. 

The show runs Nov. 29 at 7 p.m., Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Dec. 1 at 1 p.m.