Micaiah's School of Ballet Presents

April 24 – 26, 2025 · Vangstad Auditorium · VCSU Campus · Valley City, North Dakota

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From the Artistic Director

A Welcome Note

Every story has a keeper — someone who holds the pages, tends the chapters, and makes sure nothing gets lost. Tonight, I want you to think about your own story. The one being written right now, in this very season of your life.

This show was born from a question I couldn't stop asking: What happens when we get stuck? When we know we need to move forward but old patterns hold us in place — until something sparks. A moment of inspiration. A hand extended. A light let in.

You'll meet characters tonight who each carry something familiar. The little ones, wild and wide-eyed, who still see the whole world as play. Red, caught beautifully in the in-between — no longer a child, not yet a teenager, full of curiosity and hope. The older princesses, stepping into new responsibilities and finding it harder than they imagined. And the Storybook Keeper herself, who must face the most human question of all: Do I change, or do I stay?

But perhaps the most important story tonight is the one we don't expect. The Wolf — so often cast as the villain — becomes something else entirely. A friend. And in that friendship with Red, something shifts. The Huntsman and the Pathfinder, rather than turning away, choose to open their arms. Together, this unlikely group journeys deep into the forest toward the tree — and here is where the magic lives: no one can unlock it alone.

It takes Red and the Wolf. The Huntsman and the Pathfinder. The older princesses carrying their hard-won wisdom. The little ones bringing their wild, unfiltered joy. And even the Storybook Keeper, who must finally choose to move forward. Every single one of them is needed. Every single one holds a piece of the key.

That is the story I most wanted to tell this year. That the light doesn't come from one extraordinary person — it comes from the tribe. From the community we build when we lead with kindness. When we choose to see each other, accept each other, and move forward together.

Because here is what I know to be true: the journey to becoming is not easy. It is not made of rainbows and glitter and butterflies from start to finish. There are hard stretches. There are moments where the path disappears and you wonder if you took a wrong turn. But then — if you're paying attention — there are those little butterfly moments. The ones that flutter past just long enough to whisper you're on your way. The struggle is real. It is honest. It is necessary. But if you allow the journey to be the journey — oh, the adventures you will have. This story, at its core, is about that. It is about becoming.

At the heart of it all is something I believe deeply — imagination and creativity are not just for children. They are necessary. For all of us. At every age. Our stories move us forward. They keep us going until we reach what we're meant to become.

As you watch tonight, I want to invite you to open yourself up to your own interpretation. That is the beautiful truth about art — every single person in this room may see something different, feel something different, take something different home. Whatever this story stirs in you, that meaning is yours and it is valid. There is no wrong way to receive it.

When you see that tree open and let the light out tonight, I hope you feel it. Because that light? It's yours too. And with the right people beside you — your own Huntsmen, your own Pathfinders, your own unexpected Wolves — there is nothing you cannot unlock.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for witnessing these dancers. They have poured everything into this.

Micaiah Lausche

Artistic Director & Choreographer

· · ·

The Production

A Story Read Aloud

Once, long ago — or perhaps not so long ago at all...

Children gathered to hear a story. They sat close together, leaning in, waiting for the familiar beginning. Some knew the story by heart. Some only knew pieces of it. And some had never heard it before.

There were those who remembered being children themselves, listening just like this, believing that stories could take you somewhere else entirely.

And so the story began.

⸻

There was a girl once called Little Red Riding Hood.

You know her story.

She walked a path through the forest. She met the Wolf. She learned to be careful. And the story ended.

Or so everyone thought.

⸻

But stories do not end simply because we stop telling them.

Little Red grew older. She walked new paths. She made new choices. She learned not just to be careful — but to be brave.

And while she changed… the story did not.

It was told the same way, again and again, as if she had stayed small forever.

And somewhere between the telling and the truth, something slipped.

⸻

In Storybook Land, stories are held together by order — by sequence, by memory, by time moving forward as it should.

There were those who remembered the stories as they were. The Light Keepers.

They held every beginning with care. They guarded every ending with quiet understanding. They watched over the forest — silent, steady, always present.

They did not change the stories. They honored them.

But when stories are rushed… when endings are skipped… when growth is ignored…

Something begins to unravel.

Little Red did not vanish. She became unfinished.

She found herself walking between pages — no longer bound to the girl she had been, not yet part of the story she was becoming.

And she was not alone.

Across Storybook Land, other stories began to fracture. Characters repeated the same moments again and again. Some forgot who they were meant to be. Some never made it home.

The forest filled with echoes — of footsteps once taken, of paths abandoned, of childhoods left behind.

And Red watched it all — quietly, carefully — trying to understand what it all meant.

⸻

On the other side of the forest, the annual Nordic Ball had begun — a gathering of kingdoms, of beauty, celebration, and expectation.

Before the princesses entered the castle — the rhythm had already begun.

⸻

The Keepers of Time had arrived.

Quick-footed. Bright. Unafraid.

They moved through the space with ease — marking the moments, playing with the rhythm, filling the castle with life.

They did not wait for the story to begin. They helped it begin.

The princesses arrived one by one. And with them… their younger sisters. Bright. Curious. Untamed.

⸻

From five distant Nordic kingdoms came five princesses, each shaped by a different way of understanding the world.

The Princess of Ice — rooted in order and tradition, believing things should remain as they were.

The Princess of Vines — guided by instinct and resilience, trusting in the strength to endure.

The Princess of the Forest — connected to emotion and memory, feeling every moment deeply.

The Princess of Water — fluid and intuitive, able to adapt, but never still.

The Princess of Fire — driven by action and courage, always ready to move forward.

⸻

While the world watched the princesses, the little ones slipped quietly away — drawn by the call of something more.

The forest. The unknown. The beginning of their own story.

⸻

At first, the older princesses did not notice. But when they did — something shifted.

Not fear alone. But responsibility.

They had always been the ones who followed. The ones who looked up. The ones who were still becoming. They had never meant to lead.

And yet — they stepped forward. Not because they were ready. Not because they had all the answers. But because they had to.

⸻

Deep in the forest, the younger princesses wandered — drawn by curiosity, by wonder, by the promise of something more. And then — they found the library.

Hidden within the trees, it stood quietly waiting. Inside, stories lived.

But this was no ordinary place. Here, stories did not move forward. They repeated. Again… and again… and again.

This was no accident. It was by design.

⸻

There was one who believed stories should never change. The Storybook Keeper.

She watched carefully. She controlled the pages. She believed that safety lived in sameness — that nothing good came from rewriting what was already known.

If stories stayed as they were, no one would be disappointed. No one would fail. No one would be lost.

But in trying to protect the past… she held the future still.

⸻

Not far behind, the older princesses followed — searching, uncertain, beginning to understand what it meant to lead.

They, too, found the library. And inside — they saw something they did not expect. Their own stories. Written. Fixed. Unchanging.

They watched as stories danced on repeat — perfect in form… but never growing. Moments without movement. Endings without becoming.

And slowly — they understood. They were not just visitors. They were part of it. Trapped within it.

The Unfinished walked there — those who had never moved forward, who had never grown beyond the moment they were given. And beside them, the Misunderstood — characters once labeled as villains, whose hearts had never been fully seen.

Stories paused. Stories waiting. Stories that had nowhere left to go.

And in that stillness — something shifted within the princesses.

They knew. They could not stay. They would not stay.

Together, they reached for one another — their sisters, the Unfinished, the Misunderstood — all those caught in the endless turning.

And with a courage they had never needed before — they chose to break it.

The pattern fractured. The rhythm changed. And for the first time — the story moved.

⸻

Elsewhere in the forest, Red and the Wolf walked their own path — so close to the others, yet never quite meeting.

They came upon a clearing. A fire burned bright. Laughter filled the air. Figures moved in the glow of the flame — playing, dancing, alive.

Among them stood the Huntsman… and the Pathfinder.

⸻

The Huntsman — once remembered only for the role he played in another's story. Not yet a man, but a boy standing at the edge of a choice.

In the story that was told, his path had already been decided. But the story had not told all of him.

He had hesitated. He had questioned. And in that moment — he chose to protect instead of harm.

He knew what it meant to be seen for a single moment — and not for the choices that followed.

⸻

And beside him — the Pathfinder.

She did not command. She did not rush. She did not explain more than was needed. She simply walked — and the path revealed itself.

She was known not because she chose the way, but because she could see it — even when others could not.

She understood something the others were still learning: that the path forward is not forced — it is found.

⸻

When Red and the Wolf stepped into the light, the laughter stilled.

A pause. A question unspoken. Could they be trusted?

The Huntsman looked to the Wolf — and saw not the monster from the old story, but the one who lived after it.

She had changed. But the world remembered her only as she had been. She knew what it meant to outgrow your story — and still be held inside it.

And in that understanding — something softened.

The Huntsman and the Wolf recognized one another — both shaped by stories that had never told the whole truth.

⸻

And then — Red stepped forward. She revealed her key.

The Pathfinder saw it — and understood. Not just what it was… but what it meant.

This was not a path meant for one. There was something ahead — something waiting to be unlocked. And there would be those who would try to stop them before they reached it.

She looked at them all — and knew. They would have to walk it together.

⸻

As the princesses ran through the forest, and the Pathfinder and her companions followed the path ahead — the distance between them closed.

Two journeys, once separate — now drawing together.

For the first time since their stories had been written — their worlds collided.

Red. The Wolf. The Huntsman. The Pathfinder. The princesses.

They stood face to face. Not as characters in separate stories — but as something new. A moment held between them. Uncertain. Unfamiliar. Full of possibility.

⸻

And in that moment — the Storybook Keeper appeared.

She stepped forward from the shadows, reaching for what she had always known — order.

She called them back. Back to their places. Back to their stories. Back to the way things had always been.

But something had changed. Each of them had seen beyond the story they were given. Each of them had already made a choice.

They did not turn back. And for the first time — she could not hold them.

They stepped away from her. One by one. Not in defiance — but in understanding.

And she was left alone. Not in her library. Not within the pages she controlled. But outside of them.

And there — something unfamiliar began to rise. A feeling she had not allowed in a very long time.

Freedom.

Not wild. Not chaotic. But quiet. Open. Something she almost recognized. Something she had once known.

And for the first time in a long time — she was faced with a choice of her own.

And in that moment — she chose. Not to return to what had been, but to step toward what could be.

⸻

But the path forward was not hers alone.

There were those who resisted change. Those who clung to the old story. Those who would try to pull her backward — before she could go any further. To make her turn back.

And for a moment — she almost did.

She stood still, caught between what she had always known and what she was only beginning to understand. Unsure how to move forward without leaving everything behind.

⸻

And then — the Light Keepers appeared. Quiet. Steady. Certain.

They did not pull her forward. They did not force her to choose. They simply showed her another way.

That she did not have to stay stuck. That moving forward did not mean losing what came before. It meant carrying it. Honoring it. Letting it become part of who she was becoming.

And for the first time — she understood. The story was not ending. It was unfolding.

⸻

At last, the moment had arrived. The Pathfinder led them to the hidden tree — a place she had once stood before, unable to enter. But this time was different. Because this time… they were together.

Red held the key. And with her stood the Wolf, the Huntsman, the Pathfinder, the Five Princesses and their sisters, and the Storybook Keeper. Each carrying a piece of the story.

Together — they opened the door.

The world shifted. Light rushed outward — not blinding, but awakening. Not overpowering, but revealing. It moved through the forest, through the stories, through each of them —

and in that light — they saw it. The Throughline.

The thread that had always been there — connecting who they had been to who they were becoming. Not separate stories. Not broken pieces. But something whole.

And in that understanding — something changed.

They understood — that no one story held all the answers. That strength was not found alone. That even the broken, the lost, the uncertain — belonged.

That a story is not broken because it changes — it is broken when it is not allowed to.

⸻

Little Red found her place not by returning to the path she once walked, but by stepping forward.

The princesses learned that strength, memory, courage, and patience must move together.

The Storybook Keeper, who once stood at the center — holding stories still — now understood: that keeping a story safe is not the same as letting it live. And for the first time in a long time — she began to live again.

The Wolf, the Huntsman, and the Pathfinder stood beside them. The Light Keepers remembered not just beginnings — but growth.

And the stories — finally allowed to continue — found their way forward.

⸻

As the story came to its close, the children listening found themselves once again on the stage. The book was closed. But something had changed. The listening was deeper. The remembering stronger.

And somewhere inside each person watching — child or adult — a familiar feeling stirred. The feeling that imagination is not something we grow out of. It is something we return to.

· · ·

Tonight's Performance

Program

Prologue

Choreography by Micaiah Lausche

Timeless StringsFull Cast

Storybook SuiteNarration & Full Cast

And So It BeginsRed, Wolf & Partial Cast

🌟Kiss the Sky — Erin & KaydenceThis piece began as Erin's competition solo — and became something more. Erin and Kaydence collaborated to weave the Wolf into this moment, creating something neither could have made alone.

Kiss the SkyErin & Kaydence as The Wolf

Let Go FarThe Little Butterfly

In the Castle

Choreography by Andrea Jensen

In the Halls of the Mountain King

It's a Good Day

Choreography by Micaiah Lausche

Red DiamondOlder Princesses & Little Princesses

Caribbean BlueLittle Princesses

Starting NowPartial Cast

The ArenaPartial Cast

In the Forest

Choreography by Micaiah Lausche

SurrenderLittle Princesses

Flight of the Crimson QueenLittle Princesses & Spark Dancers

Let Go of FearOlder Princesses, Red & Wolf

Celtic EruptionPathfinder, Huntsman, Wolf, Red & Shine Dancers

In the Library in the Forest

Choreography by Micaiah Lausche

Hijo de la LunaOlder Princesses & Storybook Keeper

CodexShine Dancers

Wings of FlameRadiant Dancers

The Lost WorldPrincesses & Cast

Firefly AlleyShine, Radiant & Older Princesses, Storybook Keeper & Cast

Intermission

The story continues — and so do you

Act Two

In the Forest

Choreography by Micaiah Lausche

They Hit With No WarningCast

Blue MondayCast

Dark AcademiaIlluminate Dancers & Storybook Keeper

Choreography by Andrea Jensen

Blinding LightsAdult Tap

The Journey to the Tree

Choreography by Micaiah Lausche

The Greatest QuestAdult Ballet & Pointe Dancers

Towards the SunRed, Wolf, Huntsman, Pathfinder & Storybook Keeper

⭐The Roads — LaurenA special dedication to our graduating senior. Lauren, you came to us with hip-hop in your heart and left having mastered ballet and contemporary too. You have been pure joy and pure goofiness in the best possible way. We are so proud of you. Go be great. We will miss you forever. 🖤

The RoadsLauren

Journey to Aurora ✨Rising Stars, Older & Little Princesses, Wolf, Red, Huntsman & Pathfinder — The Tree Revealed

It's WondrousIlluminate & Spark Dancers

The TrialMicaiah Lausche

Divine Light 🦋Full Cast — The Butterfly Song

Aim Higher, Dream BiggerBow Song

· · ·

The Artists

Meet the Cast

Principal Roles

Erin

Little Red Riding Hood

Kaydence

The Wolf

Harper

The Pathfinder

Kellan

The Huntsman

Lauren ⭐

The Storybook Keeper

Quinn 🦋

The Little Butterfly

The Older Princesses

Rylee

Princess of Ice

Kaitlyn

Princess of Vines

Robyn

Princess of Forest

Eden

Princess of Water

Rachel

Princess of Fire

The Little Princesses

Cora

Little Princess of Ice

Kianna

Little Princess of Vines

Joci

Little Princess of Forest

Morgan

Little Princess of Water

Lennex

Little Princess of Fire

The Forest Friends

Calihan

Forest Friend

Josephine

Forest Friend

Lilly

Forest Friend

Addyson

Forest Friend

The Wanderers

Allie

The Wanderers

Teagan

The Wanderers

Brynleigh

The Wanderers

Cali

The Wanderers

Tessa

The Wanderers

Paityn

The Wanderers

· · ·

The Company

Cast List

This production features open auditions for principal roles. Every dancer on this stage is essential to this story. We are so proud of each and every one of them.

Academy

Eden Princess of Water Kaitlyn Princess of Vines Rachel Princess of Fire Robyn Princess of Forest Rylee Princess of Ice Teagan The Wanderers

Ignite

Allie The Wanderers Brynleigh The Wanderers Cali The Wanderers Erin Little Red Riding Hood Harper The Pathfinder Kaydence The Wolf Kellan The Huntsman Tessa The Wanderers

Illuminate

AydenJennaMarie Paityn The Wanderers

Radiant

Addyson Forest Friend AliceClara Cora Little Princess of Ice Ellis Joci Little Princess of Forest Kezia Kianna Little Princess of Vines Lennex Little Princess of Fire Lilly Forest Friend Morgan Little Princess of Water

Shine

AddalynnAshlynAundraAvaBellamyBrooklyn Calihan Forest Friend FerrynFlorence Josephine Forest Friend KieranLexaMeredithQuinlan

Spark

Harper G.KamrynLeonRylee H.Van

Rising Stars

AdalynAudreyBristolBrinley C.Evelynn L. KayleeOakleeQuin Quinn 🦋 The Little Butterfly Sutton

Adult Ballet

DanielleMaria

Adult Tap

AndreaBrendaEvelynJoleenMelissa

A Special Recognition

Lauren ⭐ The Storybook Keeper
Our Graduating Senior

· · ·

The Artists Behind the Story

Our Choreographers

Micaiah Lausche

Artistic Director & Choreographer

Micaiah Lausche is the founder and Artistic Director of Micaiah's School of Ballet, where she has built not just a studio but a community — a place where young artists are challenged, seen, and given the space to become. Her work is never just about steps. It is always about something more.

Andrea Jensen

Tap Instructor & Choreographer

Andrea Jensen came to MSB carrying a legacy. She trained under the beloved Patty Kline, and when Patty retired, Andrea stepped naturally and gracefully into that role. She has never stopped learning. Year after year she has expanded her knowledge of tap and poured every bit of it back into her students.

She is the quiet kind of cheerleader: the one who, when a challenge appears, simply rolls up her sleeves and says let's do this. Behind the scenes, she is one of the steady forces that keeps MSB running. We are so grateful she is ours.

· · ·

Behind the Story

Our Production Team

Diane Hochhalter

Costume Designer & Photographer

What Diane Hochhalter has created for this production is nothing short of remarkable. Armed with thrifted gowns, donated materials, and an extraordinary eye, she has handcrafted one-of-a-kind costumes that don't just dress our dancers — they tell the story.

Diane is already a gifted photographer, and in this production she has stepped boldly into a new creative role. This gift runs deep in her family, and we have no doubt that her mom would be so incredibly proud. We are so grateful for her heart, her hands, and her yes.

Ed Lausche

Set Design, Sound & Production

From custom set design to sound to so much more, Ed has been there from the very beginning — sitting beside Micaiah as ideas are born, quietly making the impossible feel possible. He is a builder, a problem solver, and one of the most steadfast supporters this studio has. MSB would not be what it is without him.

Elijah Drummond

Lighting Design

With an instinctive musicality and flawless timing, Elijah takes an idea and transforms it into an atmosphere. He knows the lighting board the way a musician knows their instrument. His work tonight is not background — it is part of the story.

Our Volunteers

To the parents and community members who showed up with their hands and their hearts — the flowers, the backstage calm, the setup and the cleanup. You are seen. You are appreciated. You are part of every beautiful moment on this stage tonight.

· · ·

With Deep Gratitude

Our Amazing Sponsors

This performance exists because people believed in it.

Dare to Create Foundation for the Arts

The Dare to Create Foundation for the Arts ensures that financial barriers never stand between a dancer and their potential. Through scholarship support, young artists in our community have access to world-renowned instructors and industry leaders, and a place in productions like the one you witnessed tonight.

Their generosity doesn't just fund a studio. It changes the trajectory of a young person's life.

Our Sponsors

Puklich Chevrolet GMC

RE/MAX Now

Thrivent · Dakota Prairie Associates

Thunderbird Ranch

Blush Boutique

Dakota Seasonings

Bridgetown Builders

Nome Schoolhouse

i3G Media · KOVC

Diane J Hochhalter Studio

Quality Alignment Firestone

Wild Prairie Bakery

Move Mountains Counseling

Dacotah Bank · Valley City

Alley Beans

Northern Hardwood Floors

MobilityPlus Rehabilitation

AmericInn

Porter Creek

Elderbee Care

Dakota Rose

Mama H's Sweets & Treats

LaValle Flooring

Valley City Town and Country Club

Farmers Union Insurance
Tyler Van Bruggen, Agent

Individual Donors

Naomi Buchholz

Nicole Larson · Edward Jones

Carole Hochhalter

Be Part of the Story

Your donation funds scholarships that open doors for dancers who might not otherwise have access — putting world-class training within reach of young artists who have the drive and the talent but need someone to believe in them.

Make a Donation

Every dollar is a key. Every donor, part of the tribe.

· · ·

The Story Continues

What's Coming at MSB

Tonight is just one chapter. The next ones are waiting for you.

May12

MSB Company Auditions

Could this be your year? Your invitation to step into something bigger.

Jun2thru 18

Where Dance Meets Art

An immersive collaboration where dance and visual art intertwine. Expect to be surprised, moved, and inspired.

Jun18

Summer Nights on Central

A special MSB Company performance in the heart of the community.

Jun20

Rally in the Valley Parade

MSB takes to the streets — and early fall enrollment opens now!

Jul13thru 21

Choreography Week

Dancers find their own voice as artists — to move, experiment, and make something entirely their own.

Jul26thru 29

Golden Hour Summer Intensive

Four transformative days of world-class training. The one they talk about all year long.

Sep10

Viking Nights on Central

Our Company takes the stage again to welcome the new season.

Sep14

Fall Classes Begin

A brand new season. A new story waiting to be written. Every journey begins somewhere.

Learn more and stay connected.

MicaiahStudioBallet.com

🦋

"And so the story ends.
Or perhaps…

it simply continues."

Micaiah's School of Ballet · Valley City, North Dakota · MicaiahStudioBallet.com