Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Famed Russian composer Peter Illich Tchaikovsky never lived to see the success of his ballet “The Sleeping Beauty”  after it premiered in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. He died only three years later.

By 1903, “The Sleeping Beauty” was the second most popular ballet in the repertory of the Imperial Ballet and was performed 200 times in only 10 years. It has been performed all over the world for more than 130 years.

The Lafayette Ballet Company will present Tchaikovsky’s classic work Friday-Sunday at Troup High School Performing Arts Center. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

Amy Orr, artistic director for the company and the Lafayette Center for Dance, said more than 150 dancers will be taking the stage to bring “Sleeping Beauty” to life.

“That includes community performers and our two guest artists, Brandon Penn from Denver and Cameron Caldwell from Montgomery,” she said. 

“It’s quite a feat to mount pas de deux (partner) work with limited rehearsals, but Brandon and Cameron are wonderful,” she said. 

“Brandon was here from Denver for a couple of days in February, and Cameron had one rehearsal here, and then two dancers and I drove to Montgomery to rehearse with him at his home company, the Alabama Dance Theatre.”

The ballet was a natural choice to showcase the abilities of present dancers, she said.

“It is such a grand production with many roles for various levels of dancers.”

Following the plot of the popular fairy tale, the story also weaves in other characters such as Puss n’ Boots and Red Riding Hood.

The production will include much of the original choreography by Marius Petipa, adapted by Orr.

“We last performed ‘Sleeping Beauty’ eight years ago, and thought it was time to bring it back,” she said. “We had some of the costuming from that show, which always helps a nonprofit company on a budget.”

Five seniors will be taking their final bows at the show – Lexi Key, Emma Metcalf, Bailey Orr, Belle Solomon and Piper Wallace.

“All of them have been studying dance with us since they were in preschool,” Orr said. 

“Seeing them develop in our program has been a privilege and joy! Not only are they lovely young artists, but they are smart, kind and strong young women who have bright futures and a lasting impact here at our studio.”

Tickets are $20-25 for adults and $10-15 for students. For more information, visit www.lsparts.org or call 706-882-9909.