Younger Sister Dances Classic ‘Cinderella’

During recent visits by the Joffrey Ballet, local audiences have learned to prize Lorena Feijoo for her exemplary technique, deep expressive powers and what seemed a unique purity of style. Well, it wasn’t unique after all: On Wednesday, her younger sister, Lorna, danced the title role in “Cinderella” with National Ballet of Cuba at the Orange County Performing Arts Center and revealed the same qualities--including the same hyper-extended line and wondrous lightness.

Feijoo the Younger shaped her characterization persuasively, with exceptional sensitivity to the music, but she may have looked her best in the formal classicism of the Act 2 pas de deux, achieving spectacular speed and intricacy in the finger turns and a blazing virtuosity in the same ambitious fouette combination ventured on Tuesday by her predecessor in the role.

Unfortunately, the noble Oscar Torrado proved a wildly unreliable Prince, ricocheting between technical refinement and disaster as the bravura demands increased. Also uneven, though never quite so dangerously: the statuesque Aurora Vasquez in the Fairy Godmother role.

Among other major casting changes in this second “Cinderella” performance, Felix Rodriguez made an antic, flighty Stepmother and Jaime Roque a sprightly, devil-may-care Prince’s brother. However, pride of place belonged to Nelson Madrigal as the dancing master for his brilliant turns and jumps, perfect clarity, whether on the ground or in the air, and disarming modesty. A dancing master indeed.

Although company founder, director and icon Alicia Alonso was once again in the audience, she did not join the curtain calls on Wednesday.

* National Ballet of Cuba dances “Cinderella,” with changes of lead dancers, tonight at 8; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m., in the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $10-$60. (714) 556-ARTS.