The Moon Princess, the new one-act ballet by Misako Aoki, debuted on Sunday, February 16, at the Jim Rouse Theatre in Columbia Maryland to rave reviews. The audience – a mix of kids, adults and seniors – loved the simple Japanese folktale of love, friendship and loss, told through ballet.

The Moon Princess ballet was created out of Misako’s passion for introducing Japanese folklore and culture to US audiences via ballet. As The Moon Princess tale is Japan’s oldest and most beloved tale, Misako’s intent was to recreate the story’s themes of friendship, love and loss through ballet so that the emotion and sensibility of these universal themes could personally impact the audience.

Pas de deux, the moon princess melissa lineburg and sephen king

And she delivered on this goal. More than a few guests needed their tissues at the story’s end, when at the final scene, the princess returns to her moon home leaving her earth friends behind for good.

Comments after the performance were overflowing with accolades, including:

“Your concert reaffirmed the positive power of art.”
“The Moon Princess was SO beautiful. I never cry and my eyes were moist at the end.”
“I could feel the love coming through…”
“Your Princess Moon was just lovely and stole the show….”

Misako truly accomplished a remarkable feat in this production, simultaneously juggling the hats of artistic director, choreographer, set designer, costume selector, lighting designer and more. Her attention to all these details and commitment to deliver a masterful production came shining through. It was important to her that the stage convey a sense that the activities in the dance were taking place outdoors, with the moon (a product of masterful lighting) being center stage as the backdrop for the entire ballet, along with props on stage like real live bamboo branches, an old fashioned pram, and a bench. In The Moon Princess, the moon is both subject and object, evoking thoughts of fantasy, possibility, dreams and aspirations; exploring new realms of possibility to something not yet within reach.

The First Act of the afternoon featured several lovely short form classical ballet pieces, in addition to “En Bach”, a dynamic contemporary number by guest choreographer Darion Smith. As the Howard County Times described it, the piece showcased “Five dancers, dressed in gray tunics and wool socks, zipping across the [stage], leaping and falling to Bach’s up-tempo harpsichord concertos.”

The contemporary piece was a refreshing break from the ballet, adding a modern and fresh interpretation to classical Bach. Smith was inspired to create the modern dance routine especially for The Moon Princess’s debut. About its genesis, he says, “I was initially creating something for my ballet students at HCC, as an opportunity to put their classical ballet technique to practical use in a more contemporary context. ...I had considered the possibility of exploring my ideas further with professional dancers when I magically received a message from Misako (to collaborate). In the piece, there was a lot of physical connection where the dancers moved as one unit. Smith acknowledges this was inspired by Bach’s music, “I guess you could say I am trying to convey the sensation I am experiencing inside of Bach's harpsichord concertos. This was always present while creating the dance gesture rhythms and spatial patterns, as well as the basic form of the choreography.”

The Moon Princess and the classical ballet variations of the first act, superbly showcased Misako’s love of ballet, her enthusiasm about sharing her cultural heritage and her passion for giving students at her studio and the professional dancers of Misako Ballet Company, rich opportunities to perform and refine their talent.

dancers melissa lineburg, jessica markiewicz, chloe shader and amanda willingham in entrada

Asked for her reactions after the performance Misako remarks, "This year, I did something a bit different. Typically I use Japanese costumes in my performances to reinforce the cultural elements. But for The Moon Princess, I decided to use Western style costumes instead. The effect pleasantly surprised me, as it matched the theme of the folktale better than if I had used tights and a kimono." In addition, she was proud this time to have two male dancers as part of the perforamnce. "Typically we just have female dancers, so it was special to have two male dancers and an opportunity to do a pas de deux."

On seeing his performance live at JRT, Smith reflects, “It's fulfilling to see the dancers taking risks inside of the structure we created together in the studio. This is true of any dance creation I'm part of.”

After the hour long performance, guests left the theater with a newfound appreciation for the power of dance to elevate ordinary human experience, in addition to the joy and awe that often accompanies being witness to the majesty of art at its finest.

Natalie Jobity
Marketing Manager
Misako Ballet Studio/Misako Beats

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