The Costa Rica National Theater will be the scenery of a classic story with a twist, Alice in Wonderland is the December proposal of director Maria Amalia Pendones and her company Danzay in collaboration with the National Theater and the Comprehensive System of Artistic Training for Social Inclusion (Sifais).

The story of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland has been recreated through animated movies, films, theater, and different adaptations; in this occasion it involves 280 artists who give life to the classic through a contemporary ballet which also includes hip hop and jazz among other dance disciplines.

Every show requires of an actress and two dancers to give life to Alice and a cast of 70 artists in total. The set design was created by Oscar Soto, and the music arrangement was composed by Fabian Arroyo. Silvia Baltodano, Gabriela Martinez and Isabel Guzman are the actresses in charge of giving Alice her personality and merge it with the choreographic work by professional dancers Martha Gomez, Mariana Elizondo and Arianne Dietrich.

“Alice in Wonderland involves an artistic and creative renovation for everyone, the public, the National Theater, the artists, the dancers. I believe it was necessary”, said Perdones to national newspaper La Nacion. “Nothing compares to Wonderland”.

And she continued:

“I like working with young people, because I feel they take more risks. They are not holding on to formulas and that helps me get out of my formulas; we wanted it to be inclusive and multi-expressive. We didn’t just want girls dancing ballet, but that we could collect the elite of the national talent. I’ve always liked mixing styles”.

The premier of this show was this Saturday, December 3rd at 8 p.m., and it will continue with 15 presentations that will extend through December 18. Tickets run from ¢8,000 colones (around $15 USD) up to ¢30,000 colones (around $56).

This is one of many different activities that you can enjoy this December in San Jose, Costa Rica.