Over the rainbow: ABQ native brings Dorothy to life in 'The Wizard of Oz Ballet'

Apr. 1—Stephanie Karr fell in love with ballet when she was 3 years old.

The Albuquerque native grew up in Edgewood, where she began studying in a small studio.

"I was kind of a ham on stage and I loved it," she said.

On Saturday, April 6, she will dance the role of Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz Ballet" with the New Mexico Ballet Company and the New Mexico Philharmonic at Popejoy Hall.

The role represents a full circle moment for the ballerina.

"I love Dorothy," she said. "She was my favorite character when I was growing up because my first name legally is Dorothy. It's the classic story of a young girl going out on her own.

"She's the sweetest character," Karr continued. "She wants to help everyone."

Karr described the dancing as classical but with a contemporary twist.

"It's very fluid," Karr said. "You can see the music in the choreography."

The music is primarily classical.

"Lots of Beethoven, a lot of things people will recognize," she continued. "There's some music from 'Fantasia.'

"Everything in ballet is about the music," Karr said. "That's where the artistry is for me."

After those early classes in Edgewood, Karr traveled around the country taking dance intensives. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in communications, then left to join the Nashville Ballet.

"I danced my whole way through college," she said. "I love the athleticism. I'm very into fitness and the striving for perfection."

Karr left for Tennessee in 2016, only to return in 2020 in time with the pandemic.

"I came back to the company when we were doing classes over Zoom."

She returned to the stage in 2021 as the lead in the "Waltz of the Flowers" dance of "The Nutcracker."

Karr says she is "very settled here." A classic overachiever, she plans to return to school to study biology. She wants to attend graduate school and maybe even medical school within the next two years.

"I'm doing my best to stay balanced," Karr said. "Doing something cognitive balances me out with the ballet."