A delicate dance

Deirdre Newman

Most ballets focus on universal themes -- love, anger, jealousy.

Thursday, a Costa Mesa ballet company will stage a production based

on a single, tragic event -- the drowning death of a 2-year-old.

Stella Dance Company’s “Anya” is based on the short life and death

of Anya Lazare, who lived in Villa Park. Because of the specific and

tragic nature of the subject, choreographing the ballet was

challenging, Artistic Director Stela Viorica said.

“It’s very difficult,” Viorica said. “It’s one of the untouchable

subjects, so to speak. So you have to be careful how to do it and how

to approach it. It’s really hard work.”

Viorica was motivated to create the ballet after a friend who knew

Anya’s father introduced them and suggested the idea. Viorica knew

she didn’t want to depict the tragedy graphically, so she

choreographed it symbolically instead.

“For example, instead of having her drown in the water, we have a

dancer who represents [that],” Viorica said. “Her name is Water

Whisper. It’s the call of the water.”

The ballet will also incorporate poetry and music that was written

by Anya’s parents and friends. Viorica enlisted the help of Tony

Reverditto, an acting teacher, to help present the poetry. Actors

from Reverditto’s classes will read the poems, he said.

“They’re pretty unique and soulful and heart-wrenching, for sure,”

Reverditto said of the poems.

In addition to “Anya,” the concert will feature three other

productions. One is an emotional counterpoint to “Anya” -- the

whimsical “Alice in Wonderland.”

“It’s full of humor,” Viorica said. “I picked a few scenes from

the whole story. We have the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the trial

and the mean queen. Generally, the people who are watching it have a

lot of fun watching it.”

Also included is a dance by Dansymmetry, a more technically

challenging and emotionally uplifting piece, Viorica said.

And in honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, Reverditto’s comedy troupe

will do a tribute to the holiday.

“We’ll pull a mom out of the audience and lighten things up -- we

do a fun roast of their life,” Reverditto said.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.