Emilia: An Original Ballet

Emilia : An Original Ballet

A Clockwork Corps de Ballet Production 

Written by Dr.John Craton

Produced and Co-Directed by Lilian Lukomski 

Choreographed and  Co-Directed by Cheryl Wellum Wagner

Cast

Izabelle Jones as Emilia

Lilian Lukomski as Emilia's Reflection

Zoey Renee as The Prima 

Cori Lukomski as Madame 

Olivia Christmas as the Maid

Lilian Lukomski, Cheryl Wellum Wagner, and Shena Jones as Ballet Students

Sadie Gore and Cassie Herbig as Flower Girls

Scene One 

The ballet begins in 1910 with a group of young ballet students arriving for the start of class. 

Scene Two

General hubbub ensues until Madame arrives — a very hard and dour instructor who obviously is a strict disciplinarian — at which everyone comes into line as Madame begins the daily exercises by pounding her large staff on the floor. The class goes through a standard routine of exercises (pliés, tendus, ronds de jambe, fondus, etc.), but throughout Emilia has difficulty keeping up and makes many mistakes. Madame has no patience with those who cannot perform to perfection. She expresses great displeasure with Emilia throughout, leading the other students in the class to laugh at and ridicule the struggling student. Madame tries to get Emilia to keep up by pounding her heavy staff on the floor, but Emilia simply cannot master the routines. 

Scene Three

While Madame leaves her class unattended, the ballet students take the opportunity to steal Emilia's sash. Getting her in trouble upon Madame's return.

Scene Four

Emilia watches as the more advanced dancers practice their pointe work. Dreaming of the day when she too will have pointe shoes.

Scene Five

The ballet students continue to torment Emilia as they begin to rehearse a Spanish inspired piece.

Scene Six

The class fawn over the prima ballerina (and obvious teacher’s favorite) as she enters the classroom for rehearsal. 

Scene Seven

During rehearsal, Madame sends Emilia to the corner where she cowers and can only watch as the prima ballerina comes forward to rehearse a portion of her pas seul that she is to dance in an upcoming recital. After the rehearsal of part of the pas seul, Madame dismisses class, and she and the students file out, turning off the lights as they exit.

Scene Eight

Unnoticed by the other students, Emilia has been left behind in the corner, and after everyone leaves and the studio is locked she comes out from where she was sitting and revisits her dream of pointe shoes.

Scene Nine

She picks out a phonograph disc, winds the Victrola, and proceeds to practice on her own in the darkened studio. She practices diligently, though still making the occasional misstep, until, exhausted, she lies on the floor and goes to sleep.

Scene Ten

The following morning the other students arrive and turn on the lights. Emilia awakes, and the other students laugh at her for having become locked in the studio the night before. Madame then arrives, looks disgustedly at Emilia, then proceeds to start the rehearsal of the pas seul as all the others watch attentively.

Scene Eleven

Shortly into the dance, the prima ballerina stumbles and turns her ankle very badly. It becomes obvious that she will not be able to dance in the upcoming recital, so the other girls look at one another to decide who will take her place.

Scene  Twelve

Since the pas seul is so demanding, none of the girls are able to replace the Prima. Finally Emilia steps forward to the laughter of all the others. Despite the ridicule, she motions for the pianist to begin, and she proceeds to dance the entire pas seul flawlessly. Both Madame and the other students are dutifully impressed, and the ballet concludes with their congratulating Emilia on her newfound virtuosity.