The Little Mermaid Ballet, or La Sirenita in Spanish, finishes another successful run a the National Theater.
The dance is presented in National Theater in downtown San José, based on the story of Hans Christian Anderson. The principal dancers who share the little mermaid role are Kristianne Feoli and Mariana Elionzo. With original music by Manuel Mora Fairen and Jose Cuervo, this submarine show is full of surprises.
Maria Amalia Pendones, the director of Danzay Company who is performing The Little Mermaid, explains:
[quote_center]“I had made a short choreography with two mermaids, and a dancer told me I had to create The Little Mermaid story, and immediately I began to visualize it…”[/quote_center]
“…The creation of The Little Mermaid lasted about two years. After working a year on it, I decided delay the premiere a year because I didn’t consider it ready and needed to find a principal dancer with a professional skill level. I never expected the success it had and still has.
“The first season, I thought I’d be making only 500 programs. I didn’t believe it when so many people came… All the tickets sold out. More than 3000 people came. The next seasons were similar; about 10,000 people visited the show. I hope this season be like that.”
The ballet premiered in 2004, and this is its fourth season. The Little Mermaid is intended to be a visual delight of the underwater world. Enjoy watching mythological characters such as mermaids but also colorful anemones, starfish, blankets, jellyfish, octopus and various fish. All represented by an imaginative and poetic choreography, using trapezes, bungees, giant puppets and spectacular costumes.
[quote_center]“The public never imagines the hours and effort that are behind a production like this. There are months of practicing so everything goes well while the dancers are working and studying too.”[/quote_center]
The principal ballerinas are Kristiane Feoli and Mariana Elionzo, who have each performed protagonist roles in plays like The Nutcracker and El cumpleaños de la Infanta.
About the Company & Director
The Danzay Company was founded under Pendones’s direction in the year 2000 as a professional dance school and company in Costa Rica. Pendones studied dance at the University of Costa Rica and in United States. Her work has been presented in more than 40 cities in Costa Rica, United States, Canada, Spain, Japan, Egypt, Puerto Rico, Denmark and Venezuela. Furthermore, she has performed in festivals and in some of the most important theaters in the country. She also co-choreographed and co-directed of The Nutcracker that is also presented in National Theater.
Last Chance to See the Show
Tickets are available in National Theater’s ticket office and online on their website. Each costs about ₡12,000 for the general public and ₡6,000 for students who present their ID at the ticket office.
Two last shows are left today, Sunday, October 18: 11am and 5pm.
Photo Gallery
Header image via Danzay Company on Facebook.