Snow is an elegant, controlled retelling of the fairytale Snow White from the omniscient mirror’s perspective. The Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre tells the classic story through their delicate execution of Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya’s choreography. The audience experiences the tale through a variety of senses and symbols: the talented dancer-actors distinctive styles of movement pair impeccably with their characters, supported by perfectly arranged lighting, music, and costume. In particular, costume immediately identifies the characters throughout.
Snow White’s pure white dress symbolically contrasts the full black of the Evil Queen’s. Even the birds that pluck sweetly at Snow White’s dress and keep her company in the woods and the seven dwarves are characterised by movement, gait, and dress. The birds flutter about quickly and lightly wearing light, flowing white dresses whilst the dwarves have a harder, bigger movement and wear overalls.
The forest itself is characterised similarly through physical theatre, as opposed to using set or props. The trees are performed by dancers wearing branch-like antlers who contort themselves into awkward tree-like positions.
Snow White’s dancer creates excellent chemistry with the prince who rescues her. Their proximity synchronised or partner dances develop their relationship. In particular, I was wildly impressed with the prince’s grief upon finding Snow White poisoned; he guided her limp body through a number primarily danced lying on the floor with shocking fluidity and elegance.
The mirror is further portrayed as a manipulative shadow of the Evil Queen. The two dancers utilise similar partnership as Snow White and her prince, yet the power imbalance and fragility is obvious. The presence of either character is forewarned by deeper, tenser music and darker, foreboding lighting. The tension of the story’s antagonists is dark, poignant, and exquisitely effective.
Furthermore, the Evil Queen’s dancer expertly shifts from the upright, vain queen to her disguise as the old hag that offers the poisoned apple to Snow White. The transition highlights the dancer’s talent and use of posture and movement: hiding her face and walking with a cane entirely transformed the character.
Snow is a haunting, gorgeous rendition of Snow White that expertly carries the audience through its plot with movement and expression. The physicality of the cast’s performance is evocative, absorbing, and overall stunning.
Snow has now finished its run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2026.
Photos by Matthew Flores
