"Snow White"
Grand Kyiv Ballet
Music Hall, Detroit, Mich.
Dec. 30, 2025
It may be best known as a Disney animated classic, but the “Snow White” ballet proved to be just as charming as the film during the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s touring performance at Detroit’s Music Hall.
Danced to a lively score by Polish composer Bogdan Pavlovsky, the 1970 story ballet follows the classic fairytale: A beautiful princess is forced to flee to the forest to escape the wrath of her jealous, evil queen stepmother where she is rescued by a group of dwarfs, and later, a prince. With whimsical characters, playful choreography and colorful costumes, set among an enchanted forest backdrop, the ballet captured the fantasy and magic of the fairytale, making for an engaging performance accessible to children and adults alike.
While unofficial, the ballet is heavily inspired by the 1937 Disney cartoon. Snow White’s costume featured the signature blue, yellow and red design of the Disney princess. The Seven Dwarfs – with looks that featured glasses and large prosthetic ears – showed off in short solos that highlighted the joy, grumpiness, sleepiness, etc. of their distinctive personalities, complete with an amusing sneezing bit.
The entire cast was endearing, embracing the personalities and caricatures of their respective characters. Snow White was sweet, innocent and graceful. The Evil Queen controlled the stage with nimble, sharp movements and a commanding presence. The ensemble of happy birds, bees, deer, rabbits and other forest animals was adorable, elevating the joy and charm of the production.
The Seven Dwarfs were the real scene-stealers. From the moment they sauntered on stage with big smiles and flexed-foot hitch kicks, they captured the hearts of the audience. The dancers didn’t break character for a moment, even while seated in the background during the final wedding pas de deux between Snow White and the Prince and were often amusingly distracting.
The pace of the ballet was a bit inconsistent. Large sections featured Snow White dancing among her forest friends, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Evil Queen’s mirror dance and interaction with the hunter tasked to kill Snow White was long and a bit confusing if you weren’t already familiar with the story. The Prince’s final rescue of the sleeping Snow White was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that felt extremely rushed for such a poignant part of the story. Of course, the dancing more than the plot is what matters most in a ballet, and the production still captured the essence of the characters and the crux of the story.
Detroit doesn’t offer many opportunities to see professional story ballets, and it’s always a treat when one comes to town, especially one that is less frequently performed. Grand Kyiv’s production of “Snow White” was a true delight to experience and entertaining from start to finish.
