The Balleraena Dance Studio of Sioux Falls spent the last five months crafting their annual dance performance and finally had the opportunity to perform on stage, at the Orpheum, on Jan. 16, 2021. 

The studio’s remake of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” consisted of 70 talented dancers ranging from three to 18 years old. The dancers displayed the story of Snow White and her dancing seven dwarfs with a fairy tale twist. The company merged characters like Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood in order to add some spice to the familiar Snow White storyline. 

Junior at HHS, Rowan Kocmick, claimed the lead role of Snow White and battled with the Wicked Queen throughout the entirety of the show. The lead role came with great responsibility as it included 15 different dance routines and two costume changes. Regardless of the pressure that came with being the lead role, Kocmick was ready to jump into the 2021 performance. 

“When the cast list came out I was very surprised to see my name at the top with the lead role, but I was very excited at the same time,” said Kocmick.

The crew of 70 dancers began the slow process of learning the choreography back in September, where they rehearsed for countless hours over the weekend. 

 “On average I would spend up to six hours at a time at the studio, Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” said Kocmick. “This totaled to a lot of dancing but made a great show.”

As the show date inched closer many challenges arose. COVID-19 was one of the greatest contenders the studio had to work around. 

“This year’s performance was definitely different when preparing because we were at all the mercy of COVID-19,” said Kocmick. “From September to January we had to wear masks at every rehearsal in order to protect one other. This proved difficult when trying to develop your character with facials and smiling. We would also have girls rehearsing over zoom from time to time which made things different.”

In spite of the testing times, Balleraena Dance Studio was able to plunge into show night fully prepared. The three-hour show contained a variety of solos and group dances that showcased each of the company’s talented dancers. 

“Despite the setbacks, the studio as a whole performed amazingly and it is always such a special performance to be a part of,” said Kocmick.