By: Julia Rosier ’18

The dancers at the Westport Academy of Dance will be falling through the rabbit hole on May 14 for their fourth full-length production of “Alice in Wonderland” at Bedford Middle School. Started in 2012, the performance, directed by dance instructor Courtney Poulos, includes various styles of dance such as ballet, hip-hop, jazz and modern.
“There is a lot of flexibility when telling this story, and Courtney has such an incredibly creative mind that she is always able to come up with new ways to make the show work for the cast we have that year,” Nancy Hyland-Zindell, director of the of studio, said.
The show features numerous, classic characters such as the Queen of Hearts, White Rabbit, the Caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat. This year, it even features the new role of Humpty-Dumpty.
Rachel Wolfe ’18 has been in the production for four years and has played many roles, including Tweedle Dee, Cheshire Cat and currently, the Dormouse. “I love being able to take part in a more jazz-based show, since most of the other performances we do are ballet,” Wolfe said.
According to the Westport’s Academy of Dance website, the performance is a “ fun and funky new take on the children’s classic ‘Alice in Wonderland.’” The “Alice in Wonderland” performance showcases dancers from the ages of eight to 18, and this year it will feature 106 dancers.
Tess Davis ’19, a veteran performer, will be serving tea in her role as the Mad Hatter.
“I like that the [Mad Hatter] is a major tap [dancing] role in the show,” Davis laughed. “It’s cool to be a unique role in that sense, and I also get to do something I really like.”
Dancers especially recognize and appreciate the show’s ability to flex, grow and change as the talents in the dancing group develop and mature with each passing year.
“The show is really unique like that, where we can adjust the dances based on ages and amount of dancers,” Hyland-Zindell said.
Mae Logan ’19 has been in the performance for four years and will be playing the White Rabbit this year.
“My favorite moment in the show is the dance ‘Hey Alice.’ It features the rabbit, the Queen of Hearts and Alice. It’s about Alice choosing between going home and staying in Wonderland,” Logan said. “I’ve loved the dance ever since I was a kid because the whole cast watches it backstage and the song is very powerful. I am really excited to be able to dance it this year.”
The show will be taking place Sunday, May 14 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Bedford Middle School. Tickets are available for purchase on the Westport’s Academy of Dance website as well as at the door.
“I love [the performance] because I’ve grown up doing it,” Logan said, “It is just very rewarding when you finally get a chance to dance a part you love and have watched so many others do.”