The Great Gatsby; Inspiration from an Era of Extravagance 

For over a month now, the staff and dancers at Sacramento Ballet  have been working hard to design, create and perfect Ron Cunningham’s “The Great Gatsby”. As you can imagine, our studios have been booming with big band jazz music as dancers bustle from rehearsal to rehearsal, learning to “Charleston” in pointe shoes. Honestly, it has been an absolute blast! I can’t think of a better way to spend my day than dancing my heart out at an extravagant 1920’s blow-out party! But what’s a “roaring twenties” prohibition bash without fringe, feathers and flashy finery?! Thanks to our wonderful costume department, all of the dancers will be decked out in dazzling 1920’s costumes, complete with long strings of pearls and sparkling headbands. 

Now, all of this time spent emulating such a luxurious era has truly inspired a lot of the dancers! This past weekend, me and two of my friends, Maggie and Karina, decided to have a twenties themed girls night in preparation for not only the upcoming show of Gatsby, but also the “Prohibition Party” hosted by Sacramento Ballet (which is sure to be a night to remember!). The three of us spent our Saturday evening scouring the mall for twenties style dresses and accessories. We found ourselves astonished at how intensely the 1920’s affected modern fashion! What we expected to be a struggle for suitable costumes, turned out to be a struggle to decide what to purchase out of the abundance of “twenties-esque” accessories! After we had thoroughly exhausted ourselves with shopping (and Cinnabons...) we headed back home and watched “Midnight in Paris” to continue our vintage theme.

Needless to say, we had an amazing night filled with excitement and anticipation for our upcoming production. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I can’t imagine a more thrilling and exhilarating job than the one that we have the great fortune of doing. Working on “The Great Gatsby” has been an absolute joy and I can hardly wait to move into the theater and start performing! Come join us February 7th through 10th and find yourself inspired by “an extraordinary gift for hope” amidst the glamour and frivolity of the fabulous 1920’s! 

Sarah Hicks