Swans’ ways
Dancers Samantha Striplin, and Cammi Malicse bring personal interpretations to Swan Lake
by Elka Worner
Award winning Peninsula dancers Samantha Striplin, 14, and Campbelle “Cammi” Malicse, 16, will perform in the lead roles of Odette and Odile in the Peninsula School of Performing Arts’ upcoming production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.
“Samantha and Cammi are two of the best dancers we’ve ever had at our school,” said Peninsula School of Performing Arts Director Tita Boulger, who directed and choreographed the production.
Samantha Striplin, and Cammi Malicse (above) will perform in the roles of Odette and Odile in the Peninsula School of Performing Arts’ upcoming production of Swan Lake. Photos courtesy of PSPA
Swan Lake is the love story of Prince Siegfried, who while on a hunting trip encounters a flock of swans. He falls in love with the Swan Queen, Odette, and swears his undying love to her. But evil sorcerer Baron von Rothbart has cursed her, so Odette can only take human form at night. The curse can only be broken by a man who pledges his heart to Odette. To prevent the spell from being broken, von Rothbart transforms his own daughter, Odile, to look exactly like Odette. Dressed in black, she is presented to Prince Siegfried at his birthday party, and he thinks she is his beloved Odette.
The White Swan pas de deux, or duet, with Odette is gentle and graceful, while the Black Swan pas de deux is powerful and confident. It is also one of the most difficult technical variations for a ballerina because of its fouettés, a turn requiring the dancer to use her leg to whip herself around, made even more difficult turning on pointe.
“It’s a very emotional ballet,” said Striplin, who began dancing when she was four years old. She now practices about eight hours a day.
“Once you’ve mastered technique, the fun part is performing on stage,” she said. “It’s like acting, but you don’t have to speak.”
For her, the art form is a way of “interpreting the different emotions you feel when you hear the music.” Striplin will showcase her grace and strength as a dancer in both roles of Odette and Odile.
Her talents have not gone unrecognized. She finished among the top 12 in the recent Youth America Grand Prix, one of the most competitive youth competitions in the world. She competed against 150 dancers from Europe, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Argentina.
Samantha Striplin will attend the Royal Ballet School in London in the fall.
“She’s such a fan favorite,” Boulger said. “She has very good form and technique and is very dynamic. She turns fast and leaps high.”
This year’s production of Swan Lake will be her last performance with the Peninsula School of Performing Arts. In the fall, Striplin will attend the Royal Ballet School in London, one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the world.
“This performance will be a celebration for me,” Striplin said.
Fellow dancer Malicse has been preparing for her role as Odette by watching YouTube videos of professional dancers in Swan Lake ballets.
“There’s lots of artistry involved in playing the swans,” Malicse said. “I watch how the dancers move their elbows, wrists and fingers.”
The 16-year-old started dancing when she was three years old and loves the challenge of “trying to make your body do abnormal moves.”
She lets Tchaikovsky’s music guide her.
“A big part of ballet is just listening to the music and letting your movements come from the music itself and not your brain,” she said.
Malicse was a finalist in the Young at Arts and Spotlight awards at the Music Center in Los Angeles.
“The judges weren’t looking for a perfect performance,” she said. “They wanted to see passion and love of ballet,” she said.
Peninsula High School student Hannah Sheriff, 15, will also be dancing the role of Odile. “She’s also an incredible dancer,” Boulger said.
Tickets are available at the Palos Verdes Performing Arts Norris Theater box office and at PalosVerdesPerformingArts.com. Pen