Old About Seraglio

The Story of
Seraglio

A Timeless Tale of Forbidden Love - Told Through Expressive Dance

Through the lens of the Aegean conflict, Seraglio explores themes of love, cultural divides, and the universal struggles of immigrants seeking to assimilate. Seraglio tells the age-old story of star-crossed lovers from a fresh perspective and in multi-cultural, theatrical dance.

Premiered in 1989 in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Ojai, California, and Salt Lake City, Ohio, Seraglio is a three-act folkloric ballet about star-crossed lovers in early twentieth-century Istanbul.

The story weaves together the poignant tale of a Turkish girl and a Greek boy who fall in love and, despite their cultural and class differences, decide to risk everything to be together. She is the youngest daughter of a wealthy Turkish family and he is a poor Greek immigrant who seeks a better life in the metropolis of Istanbul. When their forbidden relationship is discovered, they are forced to face the reality that their love and their lives are threatened.

Conceived, written, and largely choreographed by Alexandra King, Seraglio was successfully presented in March 2024 at the iconic Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara, CA., delivering a powerful performance and earning it resounding success to a sold-out show, a standing ovation, and fabulous media reviews.

Challenging the conventions of dance theater, Seraglio set a new precedent, bringing a folkloric masterpiece to life, blending the rich traditions of Greek and Turkish music and dance.

Featuring 40 dancers, actors, and a snake charmer performing with a live snake, Seraglio delivers a powerful performance with elaborate sets, stunning choreography, and a grand score blending the rich traditions of Greek and Turkish music and dance. It challenges the conventions of dance theater, bringing a multicultural masterpiece to life on stage.

Link to Article about Seraglio in the Santa Barbara Independent

Link to Article in the Montecito Journal

"A dazzling show!"

— The Montecito Journal

1989: The first members of the UCSB Middle East Ensemble.
L to R: Mr. Koorosh Haghighat-Kish, Dr. Scott Marcus, Rebekah Scogin, Brad Wright, Alexandra King and Susan Rudnicki

Alexandra King
Writer, Choreographer, Producer

] Alexandra King is the visionary producer of Seraglio Ballet, the groundbreaking folkloric production that has captivated audiences with its vibrant storytelling and cultural authenticity. Based in Santa Barbara, California, Ms. King is a highly regarded Middle Eastern dance artist, celebrated across the United States for her dedication to preserving and promoting the authentic dance arts of Greece, Spain, India, and the Middle East. With plans to take Seraglio Ballet on a world tour and adapt it into a feature film, Ms. King is committed to bringing this multicultural masterpiece to a global audience.

Since founding her dance school in 1981, Alexandra King Dance has entertained audiences, trained generations of dancers, and fostered a deeper appreciation for the diverse arts and cultures of countries of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Many of her students have gone on to become prominent professionals, including Ansuya, Tamra-Henna, and Paulina.

As a dance researcher she has traveled extensively through North Africa, Greece and the Middle East learning and documenting traditional dances from these countries. As a professional artist, she has worked internationally as a performer, choreographer, producer and teacher.

Her training includes ballet, pointe, tap, Middle Eastern and Greek folk dances, classical Persian dance, Polynesian dance, flamenco, Bharata Natyam and four styles of cabaret dance. From 2000-2004 she was a lecturer in the UCSB Department of Dramatic Arts and Dance teaching Dances of Greece the Middle East.

In 1989 she co-founded the UCSB Middle East Ensemble with Dr. Scott Marcus and Sue Rudnicki. During her tenure as the dance director, she developed a broad repertoire of choreographies from throughout Greece and the Middle East, solidifying her reputation as a pioneer in world dance.

Currently, Ms. King works as a highly sought-after choreographer and instructor, while continuing to work as the Dance Director of the UCSB Middle East Dance Ensemble. Her passion for blending cultural heritage with innovative artistry is at the heart of her mission to bring SERAGLIO Ballet to audiences worldwide, both on stage and on screen.

“Art exposes us to viewpoints and realities that are unfamiliar, and by considering them, we transcend our own world and connect with others'. Any dance style is art if it lifts the soul, moves the viewer, and changes the way they see and understand life and the world for the better.” ~ Alexandra King