Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Snow
Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre
Genre: Adaptation, Contemporary, Dance
Venue: C Arts
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
A bold, balletic performance of the tale of Snow White as we know it, which places the mirror at the forefront as the main antagonist. Inspired choreography performed by an immensely talented cast to an expertly crafted score of songs.
Review
We all know the tale of Show White, but not many of us have paid much mind to the Magic Mirror’s contribution to the story. This hour-long dance adaptation changes that fact, as it pushes us to question how easily our thoughts can be manipulated and actions can be controlled.
This is a ballet performance at its core – precise, elegant movements with beautifully executed lifts and turns. This consistency throughout the piece allows the entire performance to flow and feel comfortable to watch. But, several numbers mix it up by infusing a more contemporary style, with sharp, syncopated sections which give depth and layers to the story.
To say that there was no weak link in this cast would be an understatement. Every member of the ensemble was a star in their own right, with a totally personal expressive way of moving, it was impressive to watch the different emphasis and delivery that they each put into the same routine. This became particularly apparent in the dwarves’ dance, where I could identify almost every named dwarf based on their movements and expressions alone, even though they were all dancing the same steps.
The principal cast were equally impressive. Snow White was a flawlessly graceful dancer who seemed to glide across the stage, and her facial and physical storytelling was captivating. The Mirror commanded the attention of the whole auditorium whenever she stepped onto the stage, and it was impressive to see how completely unfazed she was by her headgear!
It was an interesting choice to have several ladies playing the part of the Evil Queen – the reason for this can absolutely be up to interpretation, so I won’t spoil it by suggesting any of the possible theories here! But I will observe that the Queen’s very first entrance oozed regality and vanity, a real testament to the talent of this particular dancer. When we meet the Queen, it’s unclear just how long she has already been under the Mirror’s influence, but we absolutely get to watch how the introduction of Snow White into their lives develops their relationship. The Mirror seizes the Queen’s jealousy and reflects it tenfold, twisting and turning it into something very ugly indeed. Their relationship is the most interesting to see unfold.
The costumes are also worthy of praise; they brilliantly reflected the personalities of the principal character of each dance, along with emphasising their current surroundings and emotions. It was a clever touch to have the ensemble revert to the same outfit for Snow White’s final dance as they wore for her first one, symbolising that she was back home where she belongs, and happy again. The ensemble costumes for the forest dance were also particularly beautiful.
Overall, I would recommend this show to audiences of all ages – children will enjoy it as a beautiful performance of Snow White, a fairytale they surely already know and love. And adults with an appreciation for layered storytelling and inspired dance choreography will certainly enjoy it too.
