By Mikaela STONE

“Little Women Ballet” brings Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel to life at Heritage Square Museum with talented young ballerinas performing against the backdrop of the square’s classic Victorian homes. Director and choreographer Emma Andres used the play to uplift women’s stories; she sees the March sisters as representing “real hopes, struggles and dreams that still resonate to this day.” 

Persevering in spite of losing their props and costumes to the Eaton Fire, the “Little Women Ballet” delivered a memorable experience for lovers of music, history and literature that has been lauded by Pointe magazine – a high compliment in the world of dance. Narrators selected from “Little Women”–led groups of audience members across the grounds, injecting color commentary by characters such as the fashionable but judgmental Aunt Josephine March or the bubbly Hannah Mullet, the family maid. 

Rather than the story focusing on an audience member, as a typical immersive show does, the narrators led audience members to a selection of three dances, each portraying multiple segments of “Little Women.” Standout performances include that of Madison Marsh, one of the actresses playing the temperamental youngest sister Amy March, and Anna Lee Rohovee, one of the actresses who played the bookish Jo March, opposite Marsh’s Amy. In a fierce dance battle set to an original score, the pair play out one of the largest conflicts from the book: incensed she had not been invited to a play with Jo and their neighbor Laurie, Amy burns Jo’s magnum opus – a manuscript Jo had labored over for years. It is important, lest it be lost in the understandable anger at Amy during this scene, that one takes a moment to appreciate Madison Marsh’s portrayal. En pointe, she twirled her way through the emotionally charged dance with a grace years in training. Rohovee encapsulated the character of Jo with bold movements, attacking and retreating her way both through her argument with Amy and her rebuff of the affections of Laurie’s pining for her. 

In another house, Claire Simmons brought life to the character of Beth, balancing her performance as a shy, gentle character in an expressive medium. Andres’ choreography used Beth’s love of music to bridge this gap, bringing in pianist hand movements to imply the audience sees Beth’s rich inner life. This portrayed a very human Beth, looking up to her older sister and playing with her dolls. 

To bridge the gap between these disjointed segments and the book’s narrative, audience members toured a “memory house,” which allowed audience members to look at props from the sisters’ lives. While devoted readers will recognize props from “Little Women,” those who have not read the book will be left feeling confused or even awkward as they are prompted by their narrator to answer questions. While the memory house did succeed in imparting knowledge, the pop quiz format may not have been the most effective method. However, this aspect will not figure into the upcoming performance of “Little Women Ballet,” which will tell the full story linearly. 

After the beautiful setting, the best part of the immersive aspect of “Little Women Ballet” was the chance for audience members to join the cast to learn a pared down version of a historical dance: The Virginia Reel. The Virginia Reel is a social dance Louisa May Alcott likely knew, immersing the audience in the world of the March Sisters and their creator. 

Following a team of talented dancers back in time, the “Little Women Ballet” created a beautiful spectacle that honors a classic story. 

Fans of ballet and literature can sashay their way to the Pasadena Playhouse to see the full length production in the Pasadena Playhouse on Saturday, June 21 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Sunday, June 22 at 2 p.m.