ORONO, Maine — Maine Central Institute’s (MCI) Bossov Ballet Theatre is set to perform “Giselle” at the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine in Orono.
Shows times are Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 30 at 2 p.m.
Tickets range from $23 to $33 and can be bought at the door or on the Collins Center for the Arts’ website.
“It’s an iconic ballet. The story is sad, but at the same time, it is uplifting because it moves you as a person, it moves all kinds of different emotions within you," Natalya Getman, Bossov Ballet Theatre’s artistic director, said.
The ballet is based on a story by Theophile Gautier and Jules Henri Vernoy de St. Georges, according to MCI, and tells the story of love and heartbreak.
These performances will mark the second time the Bossov Ballet Theatre has performed at the Collins Center for the Arts.
“This is all part of our summer intensive at Bossov Ballet that we do every year ... Bossov Ballet has existed for more than 25 years ... I think the quality of performances are improving from year to year," Getman said.
The lead role of the character Giselle will be performed by two different Maine native performers -- one taking on the role Friday and the other Saturday.
Cumberland native Taylor Pronovost will be performing the character Giselle Friday night. Pronovost says performing the part of Giselle has been her goal since a young age. She says they also performed "Giselle" during one of her first and most memorable years at Bossov.
“I was a younger dancer and I was trying very hard to get into the corps de ballet ... If you come and see the show, you’ll see its beauty and its technicality, and so for me, that was so important and I was lucky enough to be able to dance that. And so now that I’m dancing the lead role, Giselle, it’s almost like a full circle,” Pronovost said.
Saturday’s "Giselle" will be performed by Jane Weymouth of Pittsfield. Weymouth was just 10 years old the first time she saw the ballet "Giselle" performed. She was captivated from that point on and would study online videos of the ballet in her room to learn the part.
All that effort and passion would follow her to Bossov Ballet Theatre and land her the role.
“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s actually my dream role. It’s very exciting for me. I’ve told all of my family and I’m very happy to be able to dance with a cast like this and with all of these wonderful people. It’s really exciting.” Weymouth said.