For 28 years, Marin Dance Theatre (MDT) has put on its winter show, Sophie and the Enchanted Toy Shop. This ballet follows the story of a young girl, Sophie, and her magical adventure. She journeys through a mystical snow kingdom and reaches an extraordinary toyshop with toys that come to life! The show features over 120 dancers, across all ages, and even features professional guest artists. Friends and family alike flock to purchase tickets and attend the performances each year, enjoying the beautiful choreography, costumes, and storyline. The incredible production is a true testament to the hours of dedication and hard work put in by the volunteers and dancers behind the scenes.
Terra Linda senior Joy Perry has been dancing at MDT for 13 years and has been participating in this particular show since she was 4. Perry really enjoys doing the same performance each year, because she gets to see how she and her classmates advance through their roles throughout the years. Each year, the cast list is released sometime in September and is immediately followed by many months of rehearsals. The dancers pour hours into rehearsal each day and sometimes spend their entire weekends at the theatre. In addition to the time everyone commits to practicing, there are several departments working towards putting on the show. The teacher’s guide everyone through the choreography, and the dancers have to keep up with it, all the while working to embody the characters they are playing. On top of that, there’s the stage crew, who ensure that the visuals, props, effects, and outfits are all exceptional and everything runs smoothly. Perry comments that “Everyone has to be really dedicated and into it, and aware of how everyone else in the show works to form a cohesive whole.”
Perry believes that one of the hardest parts for dancers is usually the costume changes, scurrying around, hidden from the gaze of the audience, trying to change as quickly as humanly possible before running back on stage for their next part. However, the greatest challenge overall is “putting all the pieces together, that’s when we find most of the problems,” Perry says.
Terra Linda junior Taylor Sauter agrees. Sauter has been with MDT for nearly 14 years, and performing Sophie for 11. She agrees that “Putting everything together with every single person is the hardest part,” but emphasizes the importance of communicating with the teachers. “If we need extra rehearsals or something then they’ll give it to us, or if we need one-on-ones with them.”
Sophie is a great experience not only for the audience and those behind the scenes but also for the dancers. Terra Linda freshman Narissa Liu, who has been dancing with MDT for 10 years, talks about her exciting new role this year as a Snowflake. “This year was my first year in Snow as a Snowflake, and it just felt unreal to be dancing in one of the beautiful white gowns.” There is a section in the dance where the ballerinas toss snowflakes into the air. Liu says, “Under the bright lights, the small snowflakes drift down into my hair and onto my gown, at that moment time seems to stop, it’s magical.” Snow is a magical and whimsical transitional scene, taking place in a snowy winter wonderland, and the Snowflakes are the mystical snow fairies.
Liu adds how “ I really hope that the show brings the audience happiness. Sophie is about a kind girl who likes to help others, and I hope this story inspires the audience as much as it inspires me.”
On a final note, Perry says, “I hope they get to see how much the people on stage really love dancing with each other and how much we love dancing for other people. There’s moments on stage where we get to smile at each other and that brings a lot of inspiration and love and that really helps us in our dancing, and I hope that comes across.” The dedication, time, and effort that goes into putting together this production each year is never in vain, and the finished product is full of life, beauty, and elegance.
