21st Annual Presentation of The Magic Toyshop

For a special holiday treat plan to attend one of the performances of The Magic Toyshop, performed by Starship Dance Theater.  Performances are Friday, December 5 at 7:30pm (following the Guilford Tree Lighting Ceremony); Saturday, December 6 at 2pm and 7pm; and Sunday, December 7 at 3pm.  Tickets are $20 General Admission, $18 Students, $15 Seniors and Children under 12. To purchase tickets call 203-453-2516 or 203-453-8068.  The program is sponsored by Guilford Parks and Recreation.

Based on La Boutique Fantasque, also known as The Magic Toyshop or The Fantastic Toyshop, Joyce DeLauro has adapted this ballet combining the music of Giochino Rossini with the music from Jeux d'Enfants by Georges Bizet. This 21st  annual production continues to promote the mission of Starship Dance Theater since its inception in 1980 and that is family involvement and inclusiveness.  Roles are created for all who audition and this year's cast of almost 50 work together to tell this wonderful holiday tale.

 

A world-famous toymaker has created exquisite dancing dolls in his magic toyshop. When they are wound up the dolls perform dance routines for the prospective customers.  Some perform a tarantella and others a mazurka. Customers come and go, all intrigued by the dancing dolls. An American family is in the shop when a Russian family enters.  Five Cossack dolls come out to entertain them with a traditional dance.  This is followed by two dancing poodles that keep everyone laughing and entertained.  Finally, the shop-keeper brings out his most prized pair of dancing dolls, the Can-Can dancers, male and female.  They are so enchanting in their dance and on eis bought by the American family and one bought by the Russian family.  They are paid for and boxed up with the customers arranging to claim them the following day. The shop keeper and the dolls are so upset that the Can-Can dancers are going to be split up and never dance together again.  How can this be?

Find out what happens on December 5, 6, or 7!  Join Starship Dance Theater at the Guilford Parks & Recreation Center, 32 Church Street, Guilford to learn the fate of the dolls and the secrets of The Magic Toyshop.

Our goal is to provide our students with a firm foundation and a clear understanding of their art form.  We strive to provide superior technical dance training in an atmosphere that fosters creativity, motivation, and a positive self-image.  Our ballet teaching follows the Vagonova system from Russia, which trains a child to develop good body placement and strong muscles with a progression of skills.
Our students benefit from the confidence that comes from learning something new and becoming comfortable with their abilities.  Young students who continue in dance can expect to build self-esteem, self-discipline and an ability to stand up to the pressures of school with more poise and confidence.  Adult students can rediscover the joy of learning new skills or sharpening existing ones in a caring and open environment.

We offer a range of classes for dancers aged two years of age to Adult.   Our offerings include various levels of Ballet, Modern, and Jazz, both child and adult classes.  For the pre-school aged child, we offer Creative Dance and Parent and Child Classes.  Throughout the year various Workshop opportunities are offered including Belly Dance or instruction with visiting professional dancers / choreographers.

Classes run throughout the school year (September till the end of May) for children pre-K through 12th grade, half session classes for those pre-school aged, ten week long adult sessions (September to May), half day workshops (at various times), and one to three week programs  through the summer months.