The Firebird

Presented by Dancer’s Turnout Academy

Choreography by Suze DeArmond

We open with the “baby” firebirds waking up one beautiful morning in the enchanted forest where they live. They love to eat the golden apples that grow on a magical tree, and frolic in the forest. Suddenly they hear The Firebird coming home, so they get very excited and ask her to dance for them. Towards the end of her dance, a Prince named Ivan who is out hunting in the enchanted forest enters and scares away the baby firebirds. He sees The Firebird and is fascinated by her dance. He captures her, gently, and convinces her not to fly away if he lets her go. She gifts him one of her magic feathers in exchange for letting her go, and tells the prince that if he runs into trouble, he can use the feather to call upon The Firebird and she will use her powers to save him.

Prince Ivan continues his exploration of the enchanted forest. He hides behind a tree and waits for some game to hunt. Meanwhile, a group of princesses have snuck into the forest to play. They love to dance around the magic golden apple tree, and as they are celebrating the magical fruit, Prince Ivan reveals himself to the lead Princess Katerina. He introduces himself and explains that he is from a kingdom outside of the enchanted forest. Katerina asks him to dance with her, and of course Prince Ivan obliges. After dancing together they fall in love, and make a promise to be married right away.

 

Suddenly, the Evil Sorcerer Kastchei appears with his evil minions. Kastchei has cast a spell on the Princesses imprisoning them to his will. Kastchei tells Prince Ivan that Katerina and the other princesses belong to him and him alone. He runs Prince Ivan out of the forest, and commences the Infernal Dance with his minions. They make fun of the princesses’ dance, and show their control over the princesses by dragging them around and making them dance like puppets on a string.

Prince Ivan returns knowing he has to do something, when he remembers he still has the feather gifted to him by The Firebird. He uses the feather to call upon her, and she quickly appears. Ivan tells her what the Evil Sorcerer Kastchei and the minions have done to the Princesses, so the Firebird puts everyone to sleep with her Lullaby dance. Then she reverses the spell and gives the power of control over to the Princesses. In the end, balance is restored and everyone lives happily ever after with The Firebird as Empresses of the kingdom.