AUSTEN-ish
CHOREOGRAPHY
Austen-ish is a contemporary "story ballet" developed for and performed at the University of Tampa's Spring Dance Concert '24. The piece was inspired by the classic works of Jane Austen, Kate Hamill's playwriting style and the world of Bridgerton. Austen-ish challenged dancers to embrace their acting chops and develop characters whose stories came alive in classical Regency dances and vignettes featuring spoken text.
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Narration for the "story ballet" was written and performed by Sylvie Mae Baldwin. Austen-ish also featured music by Duomo, the Emerson String Quartet and VSQ.
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CAST
Barnaby Hardinger III - Alexander Sarkady
Georgianna Burns - Carly Dell
Lady Arabella York - Samantha Walker
The Burns Sisters - Alax Shanks, Anna Ondre, Heather Patterson
The Cavalry - Alyssa Bianchi, Jamie Cook, Maria Kershner-Leon
Ensemble - Cami Frick, Camia Romero Jimenez, Chase Hale, Jill Nuñez, Hayley Pieper, Heather Goldman
Sylvie Mae Baldwin is a theater and film actress based in Chicago Illinois. She has been seen onstage at South Coast Repertory, Key City Public Theatre, Lexington Children's Theater, and Book It Repertory. Her specialties as a performer include children's theatre, Shakespeare, and devised theatre/new works. Sylvie received her MFA in Acting at Northern Illinois University and her BFA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks Teachers College. As a teacher Sylvie has taught at University of Tampa, The Northwest School, Seattle Children's Theatre, University of Washington Bothell, and Sing With Emily (Naperville). She is a respected audition coach - working with children on auditions for theatre, film, television, and commercials. She also coaches those applying to BFA and MFA programs for acting and musical theatre. Sylvie specializes in teaching movement for actors and has worked with high schoolers, college age students and professionals alike. Sylvie's other interests include actor musicianship (i.e., composition and performance for live theatre) and psychosomatic practices (i.e., yoga and Lucid Body Technique).