Sacramento Ballet will present its version of the classic “Swan Lake” with four shows from Feb. 17 to Feb. 19 at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.

“And we won’t see it for another five years,” says Anthony Krutzkamp, artistic and executive director for the Sacramento Ballet.

Although Krutzkamp believes that it can be hard to change something classic, he says he tried to bring his own vision to the scene’s moves and shifts and rechoreographed some of the country dances.

“Swan Lake” is the story of Princess Odette and sorcerer Baron Von Rothbart, who made her an offer to marry him but she refused him. He, angry, turned her and the girls accompanying her into swans. Only at night swans become people again. The story is about Odette trying to break the spell.

The main idea and emotions in the ballet will be almost the same as the original interpretation — evoking this emotion is critical to the performance. “If you can put the story and the emotion into it, then you draw the audience in,” said Lauryn Winterhalder, “Swan Lake’s” prima ballerina.

According to Winterhalder, this time Sacramento will see swan princess Odette as stronger than in other versions. Winterhalder, who has been with the Sacramento Ballet since 2010, has performed  many versions of “Swan Lake” before, but she said that this time the fourth act is very different. “Anthony gave Odette power to say “no,” Winterhalder says.

In his artistic direction, Krutzkamp brings a vast experience that started when he became a professional ballet dancer with Cincinnati Ballet at 18 years old. (He has also performed previously in “Swan Lake” in the role of Siegfried.) He has since been a director and choreographer for many works.

Krutzkamp says he believes that it is important for his creative direction to be influenced by dancers’ different cultures and utilize everyone’s best techniques. He also has tried to incorporate more diversity into the Sacramento Ballet. “There was a mother in the audience crying because her little boy who’s also Filipino got to see somebody like him,” Krutzkamp said, of another performance. 

As well as incorporating different cultures, Krutzkamp looks for dancers who are unique. “I like the sparkle in a dancer,” he said. Sacramento residents will have a chance to check out the performance this week with the first one being on Friday, Feb. 17. For more information, visit www.sacballet.org.