It is never easy to create new original themes, year in, year out but it seems that it is never too difficult for Olivia Dow. Supported by her team of specialists, she is always staging one dazzling production after another. With her husband at her side, she seems to move effortlessly forward with countless ideas, as she progresses from pure classical ballet to this year’s completely new and contrasting concept of Fantasyland – The Dance Show.

Olivia said: “John never misses a thing! Last year, Michela Micallef brought in a DVD with Barbie of Swan Lake and John made all the necessary arrangements, procuring the licensing agreements to stage the Barbie version of Swan Lake live for the first time ever, here in Malta.

“This year, one of the senior students who has just graduated showed an interest in forming a group. John took that opportunity to set up a new way of demonstrating many different forms of dance, all within the framework of classical ballet. For this purpose, some costumes were imported while others were made here. It took John months to compile the music, which is mainly classic rock with a touch of jazz, and a classical undertone in the background”.

This is a new form of dance show, the type of visual show you can take anywhere, a show for all occasions, whether local or overseas. In fact, although logistics may well prevent Olivia Dow from taking the whole school to perform abroad, offers from Latvia have come in lately enquiring whether she would be interested in taking her ballets there.

“With Fantasyland – The Dance Show, it is a possibility. Maybe a good number of the students could be interested in going to Latvia on a cultural tour with their parents,” Olivia declared with a smile.

“Nothing is too far-fetched, everything is possible if there is a will to do something, and many of my girls have that will and their parents` full support”

A cast of 110 student performers, including a good number of already-graduated fully-fledged ballerinas, will be taking part in Fantasyland – The Dance Show. Rehearsals have already started, setting that artistic choreography which makes all the difference. It is a well-known fact that whether a show is a success or a flop depends on the choreography! Olivia Dow and her assistant from Bulgaria, Ivelina Dimitrova, who has been teaching classical ballet and jazz at Olivia Dow’s for over a year now, have consolidated their creative talents to mould the strong cast into one good solid performing entity to give pleasure to so many spectators.

John Baldacchino said that Fantasyland – The Dance Show is a “Fantasy in Motion”, with the artistes interacting with the audience on a high artistic level to create an explosive environment.

It is worth mentioning that Olivia Dow’s latest ballet productions, such as Giants of Xlendi Bay, Journey to the Stars and Barbie of Swan Lake are being shown every Sunday on the Education Channel 22. For those who have never seen any of Olivia Dow’s Ballet productions, this is their chance – it is definitely a cultural and artistic experience for all ages!

It is also time to go to the theatre – nothing will beat being there to experience Fantasyland – The Dance Show live at Sir Temi Zammit Theatre, (fully air-conditioned) University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq, Msida on Sunday, 31 July at 7.30 pm. Tickets are available from 1 July onwards direct from the Olivia Dow School of Russian Ballet by phoning/faxing 2158-3368 or Mob: 9947-4127. More info is on www.oliviadow.com.