Narnia: Peter’s Point of View

By Cate Reeder

“Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick.
But that made no difference to what he had to do.”
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Throughout my 10 years at Ballet Adora, one particular character especially resonated and helped shape who I am: Peter Pevencie from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

I experienced many ups and downs throughout the process of preparing for this magical performance. To start, it was my first time doing an audition. In our first story ballet, Hind’s Feet on High Places, we were each assigned our roles. Now I had to work for the role I wanted. Nerves were taut. Everyone wanted a role as one of the Pevencie children. I knew who I wanted to be: Peter. In anticipation of doing Narnia someday, my classmates and I had been thinking about and discussing who would get which role for years. But we wouldn’t make the final decision. In fact, after casting, we discovered that almost half of our predictions weren’t accurate.

The day of auditions came. A guest teacher had been asked to come in and help, bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the stage. Everyone felt terrified. If you had dropped a pin, everyone would have jumped. Our teachers tried to lighten the mood as we were too anxious to dance well, and by the end, we had all begun to relax. Afterward, I realized it didn’t matter how terribly I might have done, I would get whatever role I was supposed to get, even if it wasn’t Peter. After an agonizing wait, our roles were announced. I was Peter Pevencie!

The show was to take place in the spring of 2020. But there was a slight problem. It was 2020. Covid hit, and progress on the show halted. Classes moved online. To make things worse, my family and I had to move out for several months while construction was being done on our house. We moved into an old farmhouse with uneven, creaky floors where I had to find a place to practice choreography.

Finally, the lockdown ended, and we were able to go back to in-person classes. Performance priorities had to shift now. There was no way we would be able to perform Narnia in a few months. It was decided that we would have a normal recital in the summer, and Narnia would be moved to January, which would be a great time for a magical Christmas show. 

I was sad not to be able to perform in our July show. I had applied and been accepted to Ballet Magnificat’s summer dance intensive in Jackson, Mississippi. I drove back from the intensive on the day of the Ballet Adora recital, and I got to slip in just in time to watch my fellow dancers perform. It was a new experience seeing the choreography I had learned over the past several months performed. It helped me realize that what I feel and see as a dancer isn’t always visible to the audience. It was a moment that changed how I would perform in the future.

At Ballet Mag, I discovered new techniques of dance and performance. I also found that one of my roommates had just finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at her studio in Georgia! It was a cool experience to discuss how her studio had put on the show compared to our plans.

Narnia rehearsals continued throughout the next several months. The relationships I grew with my fellow dancers during those months were some of the best I have had. As one of the oldest students, I felt my role as a big brother to the other Pevencie children turning into a feeling of sisterhood. The relationship that grew the most was with my “bro” Edmund. This close-knit friendship created a bond that will last forever.

One of my favorite parts of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was my solo. This took place right after Peter saves his sisters from the wolf, Maugrim. At this point, Peter is struggling with the burden of keeping his siblings safe, while also carrying the burden of having to become the High King, which means he has to lead armies into battle. He has to decide if he’s going to abandon the Narnians to fight, knowing they might not win without him, or if he stays and risks his brother and sisters’ lives. During this dance, I truly became Peter. The emotional connection I felt came from the protective instincts that I feel for my real siblings and the duty I feel to the others around me. When I wielded that sword, it was like I was setting a barrier between my loved ones and the enemy. I would not fail.

This solo was a gift because when Ms. Abigail choreographed it, she was in a choreography funk (yes, that happens!). And yet, this dance is by far the most impactful dance I’ve ever performed. It goes to show that even when you’re struggling, God can use you and your work for good.

Now, as a teacher at Ballet Adora, I’m able to see the next generation stepping up as we work on The Sound of Music. It’s truly amazing seeing these girls and guys stepping into their gifts and bringing God glory through dance.