Sneak peek at ‘Alice’ world premiere

By CAROL CLING LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

10 years ago

Adrianna Rosales, as Tweedle Dee, left, Aida Francesca Garcia, as Alice, center, and Nichole Reyes as Tweedle Dum, dance during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Adrianna Rosales, as Tweedle Dee, left, and Nichole Reyes as Tweedle Dum, dance during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The costume for the White Rabbit is shown during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Bernard Gaddis, founder, choreographer and artistic director for Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater, left, and composer Martin St. Pierre are shown during a company rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Eddie Otero, as the Caterpillar, left, and Aida Francesca Garcia, as Alice, perform during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Roman Pantoja, as the White Rabbit, dances during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Bernard Gaddis, founder, choreographer and artistic director for Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater, is shown during a company rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Avree Walker, as the Cheshire Cat, left, and Maria Vicuna, as a member of the Royal Flush, right, dance during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Maria Vicuna, as a member of the Royal Flush, left, and Avree Walker, as the Cheshire Cat, dance during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Avree Walker, as the Cheshire Cat, left, and Maria Vicuna, as a member of the Royal Flush, dance during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Aida Francesca Garcia, as Alice, dances during a Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater rehearsal for "Alice Down the Rabbit Hole" at the Kravenko Youth Ballet and Academy of Dance at 2555 S. Jones Blvd. in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

You can find Wonderland anywhere.

Even at a dance studio tucked into a nondescript Sahara Avenue strip mall, where members of the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater gathered Wednesday to provide a sneak preview of the company’s upcoming world premiere, “Alice Down the Rabbit Hole.”

The show’s not until Oct. 3, but LVCDT founder Bernard Gaddis has been hard at work with his dancers, choreographing his version of the Lewis Carroll tale that’s entranced him since boyhood.

“For me, the book was so in-depth, and told more about the characters” than the various movie versions, he explains. And because “I’m not a very fluffy person, I wanted to do it in a more contemporary” vein, in “sort of a sleek, modern way,” while maintaining the story’s innate whimsy.

So, with Gaddis coaching — and composer Martin St. Pierre (a “Mystere” musician) looking on as his sprightly tunes provided accompaniment — LVCDT dancer Aida Francesca Garcia twirled and whirled about as Alice, encountering everyone from tap-dancing Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Adrianna Rosales, Nichole Reyes) to a sinuous caterpillar (Eddie Otero), a prancing White Rabbit (Roman Pantoja) and the slyly smiling Cheshire Cat (Avree Walker).

“Alice Down the Rabbit Hole” premieres at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts; for ticket information, call 702-749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com.