In a charming performance, Columbia University Ballet Ensemble (CUBE) presented their show “Sleeping Beauty” on Sunday. 

As someone who is not exactly versed in ballet, I have always appreciated the sheer strength and grace required to do the art but felt like I never grasped the full beauty of a ballet show. However, this was not a problem at all for me at Columbia University Ballet Ensemble (CUBE)’s most recent show, “Sleeping Beauty.” It wasn’t just that the story was familiar. The actors’ expressions, talent, and clear connection made the show wonderful to watch, through the prologue and all three acts. 

CUBE is Columbia’s largest ballet club, and the oldest classical dance organization on campus. The student-run group works to organize and put on one full-length classical ballet each semester. It is open to dancers of all levels, which in the words of Artistic Director Lorelei Gorton (CC ‘28), allows for “fun roles that refine artistry and introduce the audience to classical ballets.” “Sleeping Beauty” was put together in only three months, and with 53 dancers in the cast, this was no easy feat. 

The performance started with a prologue, outlining Princess Aurora’s birth and the initial exclusion of the evil fairy, Carabosse, performed by Charles Chaitman (CC ‘29). The dances of the fairy godmothers in this section were especially beautiful. Each fairy danced a solo, as well as an ensemble, in a wonderful opener to the show. The synchronicity of the dancers, with their complementary color costumes, made this especially beautiful. Additionally, the entrance of Carabosse blew the audience away. Not only was Chaitman’s dancing flawless, but his facial expressions brought genuine emotion to the audience, who laughed, gasped, and reacted in every way possible to the performance. 

As the story really began in Act I, the most notable moment was the entrance of the teenage Princess Aurora, performed by Stephanie Suh (CC ‘29) at the 7:30pm show, which I watched, and Lauren Lee (CC ‘29) for the 4:00pm show. For those unfamiliar with the story of Sleeping Beauty, this is when the evil fairy godmother, disguised as an old woman, tricks Aurora into pricking her finger on a spindle, causing her to fall into a sleep. Chaitman continued to captivate the audience in his performance of Carabosse, and Suh’s grace truly made this act stand out as my favorite. 

After a brief intermission, the performance picked up again in Act II with the entry of the prince, also performed by Chaitman. His solos were wonderful, but the real star of this act was a dance performed by the prince, Princess Aurora, and the Lilac Fairy, played by Martha Sauer (CC ‘29). Their pas de deux was mesmerizing. I was in awe seeing the strength mixed with pure technique required to pull off any of those moves.

The show ended with a shorter Act III, which showcased a variety of fairy-tale creatures at Aurora and the Prince’s wedding. Highlights from this section include the cats, Cassidy Kao (BC ‘27), and Catherine Hung (BC ‘28), which provided a fun twist to an otherwise relatively serious show, as well as the Bluebird (Naomi Roth, BC ‘28) and Princess Florine’s (Shiori Horton, BC ‘25) solos, whose performances can only be described as majestic. 

This show was perfect for someone who loves watching people do something wonderful, with no idea how they do it. CUBE’s focus on accessibility for all dancers created a variety of performances within the show itself, making it a dynamic, enjoyable experience. It is safe to say there were no sleeping beauties in the audience—everyone was bewitched not by an evil fairy godmother, but the genuine talent of every dancer.

Image via Lillian He