The Clanton School of Ballet will present “The Sleeping Beauty” Saturday night, June 20 at 7 in the gymnasium of Liberty Hill Baptist Church.

The school’s young students are excited about performing on the professional grade 20- by 30-foot stage alongside dancer and aspiring choreographer Sydney Ippolito, a former student of the school’s instructor, Anna Curtis.

Ippolito will dance the role of Princess Aurora in “The Sleeping Beauty.”

“The girls are in for a real treat,” Curtis said. “They are going to get to learn from her. They’re going to get to see how far she’s progressed from a student to a professional through her hard work.”

The 16-year-old Ippolito, who has been dancing for 12 years, will attend the University of Arkansas in Little Rock on a scholarship this fall to pursue her BFA in dance. She will demonstrate pointe training for the Clanton students, and her performance will also be danced on pointe.

The pointe shoe is made of leather board and canvas layers glued to create a platform and is covered in satin. The dancer’s feet are supported by the stiffness of the box of the shoes and by the leatherboard shank (sole). The feet are held with toes straight, placing the body’s weight onto the tips of the toes.

“This skill takes years to develop before it becomes second nature,” Curtis said.

The upcoming recital will involve 13 kids ranging in age from 5-12. The students will rarely leave the stage during the entire performance.

Curtis said the students recently performed excerpts from “Sleeping Beauty” for the children’s literacy program at the Chilton/Clanton Public Library, where about 80 children were in attendance.

“The level of commitment from the school has been wonderful, and the children are learning how to work in a more professional setting,” she said.

Alex Giuffre, former soloist and principal dancer with Montgomery Ballet, will dance the role of the Queen in “Sleeping Beauty.” She will also speak to the students about her faith in Christ and her profession, which highlights the school’s primary goal.

“Our goal is to create an arts community that teaches children how to have artistic excellence through a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Curtis said.

Admission is free. For more information or to inquire about registration for summer camp, which will be held July 13-24, call (205) 294-2781.