Karen Anne Webb

Utah Regional Ballet's "Legend of Timpanogos" returns to the stage for the first time since the 2002 Olympics. The ballet, which has become the company's signature work, will be presented Friday and Saturday, and April 4-5 at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo.

"I researched 22 different versions of the legend before I settled on one to use as the story for this ballet," said Jacqueline Colledge, choreographer and artistic director. "And the one that seemed to work the best is the one by Andy Anderson, the one I learned as a child in Lehi when we did Utah history in fourth grade."

In this version, the Ute maiden Ucanogos falls in love with the Nez Perce brave Timpanac, who has traveled from the north to find food for his starving people.

"There is a love triangle between Ucanogos and Timpanac and Red Feather, a man of her own tribe," said Colledge. "In the story, her father, the chief, gives challenges to both men, but in the end his warriors throw Timpanac from the top of Mount Timpanogos.

"Ucanogos gives her spirit to the Earth to be with him. It is her reclining figure one sees in Mount Timpanogos. The 'Heart of Timpanogos,' the stalactite formation that you see if you've been through the caves, is the hearts of the two lovers joined together."

One twist to the story, which is danced to an original score by Micheal Babbitt, is that the more usual ballet pantomime has been replaced by authentic American Indian sign language. While tribes had individual spoken languages, sign language was a nearly universally understood method of communication.

Colledge said that when she created the ballet, she wanted something that fit the theme a little more than the standard hand gestures for "love," "dance," "death" and so on that are part of the European art form.

Providing this element of the production is Dine performer Julius Chavez, who also narrates the prologue and dances the part of the Chieftain. Also acting as the ballet's cultural consultant, Chavez has an extensive background and knowledge of the traditional American Indian cultures, especially those of the West and Southwest. Chavez is well-respected in the film industry as an actor and a consultant.

Lindsay Duerfeldt, who alternates in the role of Ucanogos with Joni Tuttle, said the challenges of the ballet are many.

"[Colledge] explained the legend to us when we first started," she said, "so we got a good sense of the story. It's a challenging role to walk into, but exciting to bring your own quality to it.

"What's difficult about it is that not only is the choreography tough, but you need to convey many emotions to make your character and the story look real and authentic."