PROJECT DETAILS
CHOREOGRAPHER: Roman Mykyta
COMPOSER: Claude Debussy and Edvard Grieg
PREMIERE: June 5, 2022 | South Carroll High School, Sykesville, MD | Performed by Carroll County Dance Center & Ballet Conservatory
SYNOPSIS:
The Little Mermaid is a two-act ballet inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tale, reimagining the timeless story as a meditation on sacrificial love, identity, and spiritual transformation. After rescuing a young prince from a shipwreck, the Little Mermaid willingly surrenders her voice and the life she has always known in pursuit of a love that can never truly be possessed.
As her journey unfolds, the ballet moves beyond earthly romance to explore themes of compassion, self-denial, and redemption. Remaining faithful to Andersen’s profound spiritual vision while expanding its dramatic scope, the work celebrates love not as possession, but as the ultimate act of selfless sacrifice.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
Published in 1837, The Little Mermaid is among Hans Christian Andersen’s most enduring literary works. Far more than a romantic fairy tale, it explores themes of longing, mortality, and the soul’s search for eternal fulfillment.
BACKGROUND & INSPIRATION
A NEW DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION
While honoring Andersen’s original narrative, this adaptation expands the dramatic relationships surrounding the Prince, the Princess, and the Little Mermaid, allowing each emotional journey to unfold through dance.
LOVE AND TRANSFORMATION
Rather than ending with earthly fulfillment, the ballet embraces Andersen’s vision of love expressed through sacrifice. The Little Mermaid’s final transformation reflects hope, redemption, and selfless love.