We knew early on that the characters needed to be grounded in reality in order to push the magical realism of the whole piece. They still needed to hop on all fours, and generally act like real animals. To go fully anthropomorphic, dancing on two legs and singing with the music was explored, but ultimately we chose to keep them connected to real animals while still expressive, emotive.

Once this creative direction was established for the characters it was easier to extend that framework into the environment. This new magical dance grove still needed to be based in reality, but elevated ever so slightly from Mopsy’s normal life. The colors are a little richer, the plants move to the beat of the music, ethereal light changes to the mood on the dance floor, all to create a rich and engaging dance experience.