Little Women Ballet cast and guests dance together in the stained glass hall for Victorian social dance that closes the immersive (Photo Credit — Edie Tyebkhan and Melissa O’Gara)
Millions of readers have loved Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women. Now, thanks to Little Women Ballet, audiences attending five performances at Heritage Square Museum will be able to dance with the beloved March sisters during October’s Autumn Immersive Experience.
By Melanie Hooks
Founded in 2023 by Emma Andres as a tribute to Alcott and generations of women writers, Little Women Ballet is bringing back its Autumn Immersive Experience as a homecoming, a return to the production where the company began and an invitation for new audiences to discover the story.
Heritage Square Museum, located beside the Arroyo Seco Parkway in the Montecito Heights neighborhood, is a living-history and open-air architecture museum featuring eight Victorian-era structures.
During the experience, audiences will enter the museum’s historic houses and follow the March sisters’ story from house to house. Costumed characters will guide guests as they watch intimate ballet vignettes performed just feet away. The event also includes autumn treats, beverages and Victorian folk dancing with the cast.
The original ballet follows Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they navigate war, poverty, love and loss while learning to embrace their artistic gifts. The family-friendly production is intended for audiences ages 10 and older.
Upon arrival, each guest will receive a goodie bag containing items to be used throughout the experience, including a colored ribbon indicating the guest’s route and character. Following each performance, guests may meet the cast and receive complimentary photos.
“The Autumn Immersive brings the beauty and artistry of ballet to a story beloved by all ages,” said Andres, the company’s artistic director and choreographer. “You’ll see professional dancers perform up close—and then step into the story yourself, joining them for social dancing of your own.”
The cast includes more than 20 professional ballet dancers ranging in age from 10 to 75. Performers will wear handmade 19th-century costumes. The music combines classic Victorian pieces with compositions by Daniel Robbins, a music educator, composer, orchestrator and classic film music reconstructionist.
The Autumn Immersive Experience is part of Little Women Ballet’s expanded fall season, which also includes the HER TURN choreography showcase in August and a new Women-Led Workshop Series in November.
Performances are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 pm; Saturday, Oct. 3, at 3:00 and 6:30 pm; and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 3:00 and 6:30 pm.
Tickets are $68 per person, including processing fees. The price includes the autumn goodie bag, beverages and sweet treats, and a tour of Heritage Square Museum through dance.
Little Women Ballet: Autumn Immersive Experience • Friday, October 2: 6:30 pm • Saturday, October 3: 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm • Sunday, October 4: 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm Location Heritage Square Museum 3800 Homer Street Los Angeles, CA 90031 Tickets: $68 available online.
Full company whirls through a lively period dance, with characters Laurie and Amy near the center (Photo Credit — Edie Tyebkhan and Melissa O’Gara)
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