WEEKEND REVIEWS : Ballet : Schandorff a Standout as New Leads Take Stage in Costa Mesa

From radiance to deadpan comedy, a new set of Royal Danish Ballet principals brought new values to August Bournonville’s “A Folk Tale” Saturday afternoon at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Silja Schandorff danced Hilda, the stolen royal child raised in the subterranean world of the trolls, with bright, compelling innocence and allure. She danced with a mercurial lightness and technical security that didn’t preclude weightless, floating terminations.

Her portrayal was meticulously, effortlessly detailed--enchanting in her first appearance among the trolls, later yearning for the light of the upper world, ultimately assuming her destined station with natural generosity.

While Peter Bo Bendixen brought dashing looks and dramatic intensity to his melancholic-prince enactment of Junker Ove, he looked surprisingly earthbound and choppy in the few choreographic tasks assigned to the role.

Petrusjka Broholm made an imperious and self-satisfied Birthe, the changeling troll now lording it over the manor.

At first, her Birthe seemed barely aware of, much less troubled by, the gauche explosions in which her troll-nature asserted itself. Later she acted with straight-faced comedic flair that if she ignored them, others would too.

Not likely.

A choreographic high point came late. With exuberant heart and dazzling technique, New York-born Lloyd Riggins--the second James of the engagement--lifted the pas de sept in Act Three to celebratory levels. The memory may be his local memorial, since Riggins is leaving the company to dance in Hamburg next season.

Otherwise, the secondary characters were not as finely delineated as on opening night Friday.

Kenn Hauge made a sweetly affectionate Viderik, the good-natured troll. But he could not efface memories of Alexander Koelpin’s richly detailed earlier portrayal. Morten Munksdorf only sketched a mean, gullible brother.

Eva Kloborg as Muri presided with almost cool glamour over her underworld.

Harry Damgaard again conducted the Pacific Symphony.

The two “Folk Tale” casts were scheduled for repeat performances of the ballet during the weekend.