Experience The Quirky And Fun As Carmel Indiana Dance Ensemble Brings ALICE IN WONDERLAND To Life

Follow Alice down the rabbit hole to the fantastical world of Wonderland as Central Indiana Dance Ensemble presents their spring ballet performance Alice in Wonderland May 20 and 21 at The Tarkington Theatre at The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, IN.

Seventy dancers, aged 6 to 18, will perform in what Ashley Jacobs, Co-Artistic Director of CIDE, describes as a "quirky, fun, funny" performance. You can experience the whimsical and absurd with beloved, colorful characters including the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and other exotic creatures as young Alice escapes the clutches of the wicked Queen of Hearts.

All dancers are students of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. Dancers auditioned in January and began rehearsals in February. The staff of CIDE themselves planned the choreography for the performance.

Jacobs is excited about the sets for the performance, as well. "We rotate through a spring repertoire. Allice in Wonderland has not been performed since 2016." This year there is a new set design for the tea party. "There are cupcakes the size of coffee tables! The backdrops and sets are colorful and crazy. It's a great end to the season and it's so fun for our students, staff and volunteers."

This full-length ballet, filled with wonderful choreography and dancing, promises to be magical and a favorite for audience members of all ages. It will be the perfect culmination to the season for the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble.

There will be four shows in all. Saturday, May 20, the ballet will be performed at 2 and 7:30 pm. On Sunday, May 21, performances take place at 1 and 4:30 pm.

The Central Indiana Dance Ensemble is a Resident Company of The Center for the Performing Arts. They are also the only pre-professional resident performing there.

Central Indiana Dance Ensemble was founded in 1999 by artistic director, Suzann DeLay. The company is committed to providing cultural and educational enrichment to the central Indiana community. The company provides an environment for aspiring young dancers to learn, practice and perform in a pre-professional atmosphere, in a variety of dance forms. Promoting the arts through ongoing outreach programs provides the members of Central Indiana Dance Ensemble the opportunity to give back to the community. Central Indiana Dance Ensemble is a member of The Ballet Alliance.