Watch Kids' Reviews of
SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE: BY THE ROYAL BALLET CINEMA

What takes 700 fittings, 500 costumes and 80 tutus? Each season the Royal Ballet dancers go through 1200 dancing shoes. Wow, this was my first professional ballet and I loved it. Great Britain's Royal Opera House in collaboration with Arts Alliance Media presented this ballet via movie theater experience to more than 350 cinemas at the same time.

We start off with a brief history and orientation about the ballet. Then you are taken into the theater to await the movie. You really feel as if you are part of the live audience as you see people on the screen sitting in front of you. You get to see all the beautiful details of the opera house and glimpses of its architectural details.

Then, the curtain goes up and you feel like you are really there at a live ballet. The orchestra is amazing as you see all the instruments and players up close.

The ballet, "Sleeping Beauty" was the first to be performed, in 1946, after the theater reopened following WW II.

The story is about a new-born princesses' party. Everyone is invited. OOOPS, they forgot to invite one and this fairy is not happy. Although everyone tries to apologize, she does not believe them. She rides a jet black caboose pulled by black rats. A spell is casted over the new princess which means if she pricks herself on a spinal before her 16th Birthday that she and everyone in the castle will die.

The princess Aurora is then visited by a good fairy who casts another spell that says Aurora will not die but along with everyone else in the Kingdom will fall into a dead sleep until she is kissed by true love. All spindles are then removed from the castle and outlawed.

The big day arrives and Princess Aurora celebrates her 16th Birthday. My favorite scene is when Princess Aurora, danced by Sarah Lamb, is visited by four handsome Princes. I cannot stand on my tip toes for more the a few seconds and she manages to do this forever. She is so incredibly strong and elegant. I was astonished. All 98 members of this production are incredible dancers.

The evil fairy, in a disguise, tricks Aurora into taking a spindle from her, thus pricking her finger and throwing everyone in the castle into a deep sleep.

Many years go by until the good fairy finds a prince true of heart that is brave enough to find and kiss Aurora and wake up Sleeping Beauty and the whole kingdom. Steven McRae is a wonderful prince and his dance is powerful and believable.

All the dancers are marvelous. They show outstanding technique and elocution. I also loved seeing the rows of dancers in perfect sync with each other while forming lines and arches.

Peter Farmer does a stunning job with all the various costumes. They have intricate details and amazing textures which are fabulous to see up close through the movie experience. The scenery is awesome and flows flawlessly into the next scene. The best part is when a dancer disappears before your eyes.

This is an unbelievable experience. Even if you paid hundreds of dollars to go in person you would still not get the up-close experience of this new media. Much like in a really opera house, play house or live theater there are acts and breaks. This gives you the opportunity to use the facilities and get popcorn. The applauding part is a ton of fun which adds to the feeling of being there live.

I give this new movie experience of "Sleeping Beauty" by The Royal Ballet 5 out of 5 twirling stars and recommend it for ages 4 through 18. Reviewed by Morgan B., age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Wonderful presentation of this classic ballet which includes aerial shots of London to set the scene. Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae are both wonderful dancers and you feel almost as if you are actually at a live ballet performance. Definitely a "must see" for balletomanes.

NCM Fathom Events, Mr. Wolf, Arts Alliance Media and the Royal Opera House invite you to journey to an enchanted world of princesses, fairy godmothers and magic spells with the captivating Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty as it comes to the big screen in a special one-night event on Thursday, March 20 at 7:00pm (local time) to select cinemas nationwide.

Don't miss Marius Petipa's enchanting ballet as a wicked fairy places a fatal curse on the baby Princess Aurora, which the good Lilac Fairy softens to a sleep of 100 years and only a prince's kiss can break the spell.

Special Fathom Features: Behind-the-scenes look at the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet with exclusive cast interviews.

Tickets are available by clicking on the orange "Buy Tickets" button. If online ticketing is not available for your location, you can purchase your tickets by visiting the box office at your local participating cinema. Marius Petipa's classic 19th-century choreography is combined with newly created sections by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell and Christopher Wheeldon. First staged in St. Petersburg in 1890, The Sleeping Beauty is the pinnacle of classical ballet: a perfect marriage of Petipa's choreography and Tchaikovsky's music and a glorious challenge for every dancer on stage. Today's The Sleeping Beauty not only captures the mood of the original but shows that this is very much a living work for The Royal Ballet, growing and changing with the Company while celebrating its past.