Classical ballets like “Giselle,” “The Sleeping Beauty” and “Romeo and Juliet” have captivated audiences for more than a century, telling classic stories through stunning choreography and music. However, in recent years, original full-length ballets have become increasingly rare. The art form has shifted away from grand, narrative-driven productions as many contemporary companies opt for shorter, more abstract, modern works. In this new artistic landscape, can a new ballet still have that same timeless power?
Audiences can answer that question for themselves by watching “Raffaella,” an original ballet that premiered on stage last June and premieres online March 7 at 8 p.m. EST. The production is a deeply personal tribute to Raffaella Stroik, a Catholic dancer and member of the St. Louis Ballet who died in 2018 at the age of 23.
The ballet’s conception began with Duncan and Ruth Stroik, who wanted to honor the memory of their daughter in a way that they felt Raffaella would approve, knowing how deeply she valued the expressive power and beauty of dance.
“Raffaella always said that she didn’t like to dance for herself, but rather for other people. She really saw that she was doing something beautiful and at the highest level, like an athlete, gymnast or great musician,” Duncan Stroik, a practicing architect and architecture professor at the University of Notre Dame, told Our Sunday Visitor. “For her, it was about beauty and joy. She believed that true beauty and joy came from God, and that if she was going to live that out as a dancer, she should try to share that with others.”
A vision of beauty and excellence comes to life
The journey from concept to performance took nearly six years. “Beauty, for Raffaella, was always about doing things excellently. You want it to do it very well,” Stroik said. “That was important to Raffaella in her dancing, just like any artist who strives for that standard of excellence in their field.”
“I would talk to her a lot,” he shared. “I’d say, ‘Raffaella, we’re doing this for you. We want to do what you would want us to do.’ She had such high standards, and we wanted to create something excellent and beautiful that would live up to those expectations.” He is convinced that “she was in heaven helping us, steering the boat and answering prayers for little miracles.”
Reflecting on the team that brought “Raffaella” to life, Stroik expressed deep gratitude to several key figures: the dancer-producer Mark-David Bloodgood, a close friend of Raffaella’s from the St. Louis Ballet, whose expertise was instrumental in guiding the project; choreographer Claire Kretzschmar, a former soloist with the New York City Ballet and the current director of the Hartford Ballet, whose creative vision was invaluable despite joining only six months before the premiere; composer Michael Kurek, who infused the ballet’s score with melodies drawn from the rich Catholic musical tradition; and Gabrielle Johnson, Raffaella’s older sister, who designed the stunning sets that transformed the production into reality.
He also acknowledged Robin Fountain, the emeritus professor of conducting at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, who served as the conductor, and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra for their dedication and precision in bringing the music to life. Additionally, the talented dancers — many of whom personally knew Raffaella — added an emotional depth that resonated throughout the entire production.
“Raffaella” debuted in June with two performances at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend, Indiana; the recorded version will be available for free on YouTube from March 7 at 8:00 pm EST through March 9. In addition to the full performance, this special presentation includes exclusive interviews with members of the Stroik family, Kretzschmar, Kurek and several others involved in the production.
A tribute in fairy-tale form
As “Raffaella” unfolds, it beautifully blends classical storytelling with timeless themes — a rare combination in ballet today. “Most new ballets today tend to be more contemporary in style, without full sets or costumes, and often don’t focus on telling a story,” Stroik noted. “But ballet, opera and drama are about the story.”
Inspired in part by Raffaella Stroik’s own life, the fairy-tale narrative follows a gifted young peasant girl whose talent for dance leads her through trials of love, deception and destiny in 18th-century Italy. Guided by mystical figures, she faces challenges from jealous rivals and a false prince, ultimately choosing a transcendent love that leads her to a mountaintop kingdom.
The story illustrates some of the values — love, family, forgiveness — that Raffaella cherished and strived to practice. A recurring image of roses throughout the ballet serves as a poignant tribute to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, whom Raffaella often prayed to and considered a friend. Additionally, the ballet includes several battle scenes, representing conflicts between beauty and ugliness, good and evil, love and hate.
“We’ve included these battles because they reflect the internal struggles we all face in life,” Stroik explained.
He noted that two-thirds of the people who attended the June performances had “never been to a ballet before in their life” and emphasized his desire for “Raffaella” to reach people of different ages and backgrounds: “I want people to have a great experience and realize that ballet can be very beautiful and meaningful. Sometimes, people are hesitant to go to a ballet because they think they won’t understand it. But the movement, the costumes and the music of ‘Raffaella’ touched so many hearts.”
“You don’t need to know ballet to enjoy the show,” Stroik continued. “Even though there are no words or singing, people can still follow the story. They’ll understand the joy and love, but also the trials and tribulations, which Raffaella faced in her own life.”
Finding joy and meaning in loss
Ultimately, “Raffaella” taps into a universal truth: that even in the face of tragedy, beauty can emerge. Stroik, reflecting on his own experience of loss, has come to understand that while grief feels deeply personal, it is something that connects us all. “When you lose somebody that you love — especially someone young — you feel like nobody else can understand,” he said. “But I’ve been surprised by how many others can relate to my sadness, even with different experiences.”
“Death is part of the human condition,” he reflected. “We all die. We hope it happens when we’re older and ready. But it doesn’t always happen that way. And that’s okay because we have the time that God gives us. We should make the best of it, doing good things while we’re here.”
“I hope that ‘Raffaella’ conveys that love conquers hatred and joy conquers sadness, and that we can bring good out of evil, beauty out of ugliness,” Stroik said. “We want everyone — regardless of the kind of loss they’ve experienced — to be touched by the themes of the story and the beauty in the music and dance.”
For Raffaella Stroik, the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky were a guiding principle: “Beauty will save the world.” With “Raffaella,” the Stroik family hopes to fulfill that vision, bringing beauty and grace to audiences through this timeless fairy-tale ballet.
Watch “Raffaella: A New Fairytale Ballet” on YouTube. The performance will stream Friday, March 7 at 8:00 pm EST and remain online through March 9.
