The Dancing Princesses or The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes

Here is a magical tale of dance and romance. A mystery threatens the security of the kingdom: where do the princesses escape to every night, and why are their dancing shoes worn out each morning? Why do they sleep through their princess duties each day? The king, who was wounded in the war, desperately tries to solve the mystery by proclaiming that any man who can solve it will marry the daughter of his choice and become the future king. An old woman servant, Ursula, who is much more than she appears to be, decides to act to solve the mystery and restore balance and security to the kingdom. Ursula seeks out a suitable husband and heir for Amalia, the oldest daughter. She chooses Gunter, a simple soldier with a good heart, and provides the information he will need to solve the mystery. As Amalia's affection for Gunter grows, he follows the princesses down into the underground where he witnesses the dreamlike dances of the princesses. The script focuses on six dancing princesses, although there can be more or fewer. The suggested music comes from the time period of the tale and includes pieces by Handel, Gluck and Stamitz. The choreography aboveground focuses on classical dance, while the dances in the underground reflect less the baroque style and much more the romantic fantasies of the princesses.