CCM Dance Series presents "Little Mermaid" April 12-14

Jennifer Weatherburn Thiemet is a former principal dancer with AYBT with extended studies at Canada’s National Ballet School where she trained intensely in the Cecchetti Syllabus and attended the teacher’s training program.  She has studied with such master teachers as Alexandra Danilova, Margaret Saul, Jurgen Schneider, George Verdak, Gus Giordano, & Luigi.  She has performed with Walt Disney productions, Indianapolis Ballet Theatre and was a principal dancer with Lexington Ballet.  During her dance career, she performed the leads in such ballets as The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Raymonda, and Romeo & Juliet.  Her musical theater productions include West Side Story, Sugar, Bye Bye Birdie, The King and I, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, and productions with American Cabaret Theater.  She was the winner of the Margaret Sear Rosenblith and Carey Rose Winski Scholarship Awards and was accepted to Interlochen Music Camp.

Mrs. Thiemet’s teaching credentials include Anderson Young Ballet Theatre Academy, School of Lexington Ballet, School for the Performing Arts of Kentucky, and National Academy. She is currently on staff with Anderson University Dance Department.  She has staged many classical ballets (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Pas De Quatre, Coppelia, Raymonda, Alice in Wonderland, and The Nutcracker) and has co-choreographed two world premieres with AYBT: Little Mermaid & The Legend of MuLan.

Catherine Sparks-Petraits is a graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in Dance Performance in 1991.  With 37 years of dance training, Catherine danced eight of those years as a professional.  She was an apprentice and then resident guest artist with Dance Kaleidoscope from 1993-2000.  She also performed with American Cabaret Theater from 1992-1996 and Civic Theater in 2002.  As a costumer, Catherine was Assistant Costumer of Dance Kaleidoscope in 1992-1994.  Other companies she has designed for were Ball State University, Jordan Academy of Dance at Butler University, Dance Kaleidoscope, and Anderson University.  Catherine has continually done costuming for AYBT since 1992.  She has staged many classical ballets (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Pas De Quatre, Coppelia, Raymonda, Alice in Wonderland, and The Nutcracker) and has co-choreographed two world premieres with AYBT: Little Mermaid & The Legend of MuLan.

• The Mermaid | Grace Zamiska^, Caitlyn Wehner+
• Prince | Erin Decker^, AJ Gross+
• Sea Queen | Maddie Talbot^, Bethany Roup+
• Land Queen | Kelsey Lewis
• Sea Witch | Isabella Thoroughman^, Hazel Alexander+
• Minions of the Sea Witch | Hannah Altmiller, Mary Lee, Iliana Rich, Regina Murphy (understudy)
• Mer Siblings | Sophia Gray^, Katie Griffith^, Katherine Kraal^, Campbell Lee^, Grace Ortega^, Cynthia Lutz^, Shaelyn Kuipers+, Celeste Lau+, Addie McCarter+, Grace Mitchell+, Regina Murphy+, Maddie Weber+
• The Angelfish | Mia Neslanovic^, Maya Gordon+
• Demi-Angelfish | Miranda Sharer, Sophia Gray (understudy)
• Jellyfish Pod/Courtiers | Soyars Green, Katie Griffith+, Shaelyn Kuipers^, Sofia Stitz, Elizabeth Tanner, Anjali Vadlamudi
• School of Fish | Hazel Alexander^, Elise Arcuri, Lexi Bastin, Bryn Clintron, Sylvia Quinio, Miranda Sharer, Laykin Stoess, Isabella Thoroughman+
• Ship's Captain | Isabelle Pfleger
• Ship’s Crew | Willie Harris Jr., Kelsey Lewis
• Maids | Elise Arcuri, Lexi Bastin, Bryn Clintron, Erin Decker+, Celeste Lau^, Mia Neslanovic^, Sylvia Quinio, Bethany Roup^, Miranda Sharer, Sofia Stitz, Laykin Stoess, Kelsey Lewis (understudy), Maya Gordon (understudy), Mia Neslanovic (understudy)
• Courtiers | Willie Harris Jr., Addie McCarter^, Grace Mitchell^, Regina Murphy^, Isabelle Pfleger^, Maddie Weber^, Caitlyn Wehner^, Sophia Gray+, Katherine Kraal+, Campbell Lee+, Cynthia Lutz+, Grace Ortega+, Grace Zamiska+

^Performs Saturday  
+ Performs Friday/Sunday

Original music by David Arkenstone 

Act 1

• Overture - “The Malabar Caves”, Citizens of Time
  
• Opening Scene - “Across the Great Ocean”, Atlantis
• Tales of the Mermaid Sisters - “The Festival”, The Celtic book of Days
  
• The King and Queen of the Sea - “Ancient Legend”, Chronicles
• Swimming to the Surface - “Festival of the Goddess”, Atlantis 
  
• The Ship Encounter - “Papilion”, In the Wake of the Wind
• The Sea Witch & the Storm - “The Lions Breath”, In the Wake of the Wind
  
• The Prince Drowns - “Water of Life”, Return of the Guardians
• The Recovery of the Prince - “Southern Cross”, In the Wake of the Wind

Act 2 

• Overture - “Voices of the Anasazi”, Chronicles
• The Lair of the Sea Witch - “The North Wind”, Chronicles
  
• Finding Her/The Village - “Passage”, Chronicles
• Entering the Palace - “Homecoming”, Quest of the Dream Warrior
  
• The Court Scene - “Glory”, Chronicles
• The Court Dance - “Road to Faire”, Celtic Book of Days
  
• Hypnotizing the Prince - “Stepping Stars”, Chronicles
• The Mermaid Cries - “Emerald Dreams”, In the Wake of the Wind
  
• The Spell is Broken - “Explorers”, Citizens of Time
• Saying Good-Bye - “Sailing”, In the Wake of the Wind
  
• Two Worlds Become One - “Borderlands”, Chronicles
• Happily Ever After, “Reunion”, Return of the Guardians