Dance Theatre of Harlem “Firebird”

Direction | Animation | Editing | illustration

Dance Theatre of Harlem invited me to reimagine their signature classic Firebird as an animated piece that helps audiences connect with the story beyond the stage. A classic ballet reimagined through a Caribbean lens, the narrative is set in Haiti, drawing from Caribbean folklore and landscape alongside Afro-futuristic influences. It follows a Prince whose encounter with the Firebird—an ethereal, transformative force—leads him to a Princess bound by a powerful Sorcerer’s curse. When all seems lost, the Firebird’s return shifts their fate.

The project was developed as a short animated film alongside a graphic-novel-style print companion to the ballet. Together, these pieces help audiences, especially those unfamiliar with the work, understand the narrative of the ballet. Using expressive shapes, bold colors and movement inspired by dance, the visuals translate the stage story into an accessible animated world.

The Storyboard

The animation began with storyboarding the key moments of the narrative. These boards established the visual pacing of the story, translating the emotional beats of the ballet into a sequence of cinematic scenes. Each frame explored how movement, scale, and composition could echo the language of dance while guiding the viewer through the Prince’s journey and his encounters with the Firebird, the Princess, and the Sorcerer.

Because the original ballet runs about 30 minutes, the animation required distilling Igor Stravinsky’s score into a piece under two minutes. We carefully selected key musical moments that captured the emotional turning points of the story, editing the composition to preserve its integrity while creating seamless transitions that supported the narrative rhythm of the film.

Character Design

The character design focused on capturing the essence of each role while translating the language of ballet into a stylized animated form. Through expressive silhouettes, flowing shapes, and gesture-driven poses, the characters were designed to evoke movement even in stillness. The Prince, Firebird, Princess, and Sorcerer each embody distinct visual qualities that reflect their role within the story.

The designs also drew influence from the costumes used in the ballet production. Elements of shape, color, and ornamentation informed the characters’ forms, helping maintain a visual connection between the stage performance and the animated world.

Because the story is set in the Caribbean, Black and Brown characters are central to the visual world. The Prince, Princess, and Firebird were intentionally designed to read as Black and/or Brown characters. This choice reflects Dance Theatre of Harlem’s longstanding mission to expand representation in ballet and create space for Black dancers within an art form where they have historically been underrepresented.

Environment

The environments were designed to situate the story within a Caribbean landscape while remaining simple enough for the characters and movement to remain the focus. Backgrounds use stylized shapes and layered color to suggest tropical foliage, mountains, and open space without overwhelming the action, allowing the characters to stand out clearly within the frame.

The visual approach draws inspiration from the bold simplicity of Mary Blair’s environments and the graphic composition found in Genndy Tartakovsky’s work. Using flattened perspective, rhythmic shapes, and expressive color, the landscapes feel both grounded in the Caribbean setting and intentionally minimal, creating a world that supports the story while leaving space for the characters to lead the visual experience.

Directed by Marlene Marmolejos (Motion Mami)

Concept, Story & Art Direction: Marlene Marmolejos

Character Design & Illustrators: Harry Villamil, Trevor Fraley, Nadya Izotova

Background Illustration: Dana Cifuentes

Concept Art: Abelle Hayford

Additional Cel Animation: Ranabir Majumder

Music: Based on The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky

Music Edit & Arrangement: Marlene Marmolejos, Frandiego Veloz