The Maine State Ballet has again returned to the Tchaikovsky/Petipa masterpiece, “Sleeping Beauty,” adding touches from choreographer Linda MacArthur Miele and others, and reawakened it for a total of a dozen performances at its accommodating in-house theater in Falmouth.

The leads, played by company regulars, alternate from performance to performance and the large supporting cast does include a number of students still learning their craft. But this production makes a strong case for the vitality of the company and the obviously painstaking approach its members take to all aspects of presenting ballet.

The well-known story of the beautiful princess who is put to sleep by an evil witch, only to be revived by the kiss of a noble prince, is well known. The mixture of the fantastic and the dramatic, all meant to occasion imaginative movement, was engaging once again on Saturday afternoon with an abundance of graceful dancers, bright colors and beautiful music associated with this 1890 classic.

Rhiannon Pelletier took the lead role of Princess Aurora. Her performance, in both extensive balancing turns as well as the famous dives (sculptural moments when the ballerina is held low to the floor by her partner), was strong. Her phrasing was precise and she partnered well with Nathaniel Dombek as her prince, establishing the romantic attraction that made for some delicately emotive, cello-backed passages in Act II.

Dombek excelled in athletic leaps that are a welcome staple for the male dancers in many of the classic ballets. His final moments with Pelletier topped-off the wedding party of Act III which, despite the two-hour-plus-two-intermissions length of the performance, seemed over too soon.

Veronica Druchniak gently attracted attention as the Lilac Fairy who saves the day. Like a flower in the breeze, fluttering yet strongly rooted, she advanced the action while adding sensitive touches, employing all of her limbs expressively.

Many supporting roles were filled by a multi-generational cast of new and veteran dance performers.

Frederick Bernier was a hoot as the evil witch Carabosse. His mockery of the various fairies’ dance moves was both spooky and hilarious. Caitlin Bernard was a scene stealer as the White Cat in the divertissement of Act III. Both in shaking her own tail and pulling on that of her playful partner Puss ‘n Boots (Glenn Davis), she drew laughs from the many youngsters in the audience. Nicholas Anderson also stood out as the persistent Bluebird flying close to an elegant Princess Florine (Lucy Denton).

The costumes and scenery by Gail Csoboth were a show unto themselves. Referencing 17th and 18th century styles, the costumes were appropriately detailed in the stage-filled Garland Waltz of Act I. Carefully and colorfully painted backdrops and scrims established and delineated scenes-within-scenes. The recorded music was well-amplified and the lighting design by Bernier added just the right amount of warmth to the festive scenes while subtly chilling the more mysterious and suspenseful moments.

To doze during this “Sleeping Beauty” would be to miss out on its many pleasures.

Steve Feeney is a freelance writer who lives in Portland.

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