Dance holidays in with the Grinch: Kid-friendly ballet boasts laughter, love, learning

The two co-stars are Joseph Lachance as the Grinch and Jane Hannon as Cindi Lou. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - A Portsmouth-based ballet company will bring a never-before-seen production of the beloved holiday classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" to the Rochester Opera House for a single performance on Thursday.

Safe Haven Ballet, a professional ballet company, performs classic ballets throughout New England, but this show is geared primarily to children and is "laugh out loud funny," said Barbara Silk, president of Safe Haven Ballet's Board of Directors.

"We are a classical ballet company, so this ballet is going to be a lot of fun for the dancers, something very different," she said.

The ballet is the brain child of choreographer Miranda Bailey.

Silk said the ballet promises to bring the audience loads of "laughter and romance and will show the true meaning of the spirit of Christmas."

The ballet will be filled with mostly classical but some contemporary holiday music.

The ballet will also be kid-friendly, Silk noted, with a lot of interaction between the cast and the audience.

She said the dancers will also explain some of the mechanics about how they put on the show as well as "stage etiquette."

The ballet will also give young people a broad explanation of ballet and how it enriches the arts.

According to a press release prepared for Thursday's performance:

In addition to the performance component of the production, audiences can look forward to a lecture demonstration on different dance forms and their history. This component will help young audience members to:

- Broaden their cultural and global backgrounds when viewing performances of various genres originating from all parts of the world

- Analyze, critique, and communicate ideas presented in a different perspective

- Increase their attention stamina for auditory and visual media

- Understand the importance of manners and showing respect for others in social situations

The three co-stars are Joseph Lachance as the Grinch, Jane Hannon as Cindi Lou. and Safe Haven Ballet Director Lissa Curtis, who plays the role of Max, the Grinch's sole companion up in his mountaintop lair high above Whoville.

The show starts at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

To purchase tickets click here