Dancer Spotlight: Kassandra Vogel
1. Tell us a little about your dance background, how long you have been dancing, and what inspired you to pursue ballet.
I began dancing at California Ballet School when I was three years old, so ballet has sort of always been a part of my life. But I think my real love for it came from the days I spent sitting at the front of the studio, watching the professional dancers rehearse. Seeing ballet up close and personal — hearing their breath, witnessing the sweat and hard work that went into each rehearsal — made me admire it deeply.
I’ve always been astonished by how ballet dancers can take something so physically demanding and turn it into something so effortless and ethereal. I followed that love for dance to UC Irvine, where I continued pursuing ballet while also exploring a newfound passion for contemporary ballet choreography.
2. What are the specific challenges of portraying your character through dance in Little Women?
My favorite scene in Little Women has to be the waltz at Sally’s party. It’s the first time in the ballet that the entire corps de ballet comes together, and the energy on stage is absolutely palpable. Everything — from the first note of the music to the luscious ballgowns and shimmering backdrop — demands your attention. It’s a party!
I loved dancing in this scene because Emma’s choreography perfectly embodies the music and flows so naturally in the body. There’s also a touch of humor sprinkled throughout, which sets a lighthearted tone for the rest of the ballet and brings a playful energy that carries through the performance.
3. How do you approach telling a story through dance movements and expressions?
Storytelling as a corps de ballet dancer is a little different since you’re not always there to push the plot forward, but rather to fill out the world and bring each moment to life. Our role is special — we get to wear many hats throughout the performance, taking on different personas or even embodying abstract ideas.
I believe storytelling for the corps is very community-based, since so much of our characters are developed through small conversations and gestures with one another in the background of the main storyline. What the audience may not realize is that we are actually communicating throughout the scene — building side stories and complex relationships that make the world onstage feel authentic and alive.
4. What message or emotion do you hope to convey to the audience through your performance?
My hope is to convey the joy and bliss I feel while performing in this ballet. Everything about Little Women is so beautifully heartfelt, and I hope the audience can not only witness that joy, but truly feel it for themselves.
5. How do you work with the choreographer and fellow dancers to convey the overall narrative of Little Women through your movements?
Emma pays incredible attention to detail in every aspect of the ballet. While creating the production, she had to consider how numerous storylines and sections of choreography would blend together harmoniously — almost as if she were composing a symphony.
In the early stages of rehearsal, the corps and main characters worked separately. Once we began rehearsing together, it felt like each of us was a meticulously crafted piece of a larger puzzle finally coming together. Emma’s choreography became a platform for us to build from, allowing for authentic connections between characters. Even something as simple as eye contact or a subtle gesture helped shape our relationships onstage and bring the narrative to life.
6. What do you hope the audience takes away from the production after watching your performance in Little Women?
I hope the audience leaves with that warm, nostalgic feeling that both ballet and Little Women evoke. The story itself is already so lovely, but when it’s expressed through the language of dance, it becomes all the more powerful and deeply moving.
