The audience at the ballet performance at Westfield Elementary School on Oct. 13 sounded less like a company of cultured clappers, and more like star-struck spectators.

With excited exclamations of "Whoa!" and "Ooooh!" from the almost 500 schoolchildren at the Westfield assembly Tuesday, Ballet West of Salt Lake City successfully made the world of ballet a bit more reachable.

The children seemed impressed by the performers' ability to jump and leap, and there were amazed "aaahs" when the prince lifted the princess high above his head.

There were also the giggles and titters one might expect from a school crowd when the prince kissed the princess.

But there were also laughs, applause, and admiration for the antics of the performers playing Puss in Boots and his fellow feline mistress.

In all, Ballet West's mini show version of "Sleeping Beauty," with no speaking parts, entertained the entire crowd and kept their attention better than even the film version might.

But that was not all. The four professional dancers and Ballet West Educational Associate Cati Snarr first taught the children some of the history and the language of ballet.

"The ballet steps used were first invented 400 years ago in France," said Snarr, "and in the beginning the dancing was done by men only. Once women joined, the steps became quicker and higher."

Modern ballet dancers now train every day six hours a day for five days a week. The dancers showed the children "turn out," turning the legs out from the hips, and the five basic ballet positions and how they lead to different movements.

Six Westfield students joined the professionals onstage for a few quick lessons in leaps and spins.

Three girls learned ballet leaps by pretending they were jumping over puddles across the stage. Then the boys attempted a double spin from a simple standing position, a move the male dancers made look extremely easy. The three boys could only do about one spin without falling over.

Snarr taught the children the "sign language" of ballet, so they could better follow the story.

She went through signs for "love," "not," "beautiful," "graceful," and "royalty." She explained how the evil fairy would curse Sleeping Beauty to die, making the sign for death by crossing his arms at the wrists. Then the Lilac Fairy signed she would change the curse from death to sleep, so Sleeping Beauty could be awakened by the kiss of a prince.

Ballet West visits every elementary school in the state within a five-year period, and teaches children about ballet and dance. Each fall and spring three groups from the company are out in the schools daily, sometimes visiting, teaching and performing at three schools within one day.

"This is how we keep our funding through the state Legislature," Snarr said.

Westfield principal Vicky Haws said Westfield was honored to have them perform for the school.

"Remember, these are professionals," she said to the students. "To see them onstage in a performance, you would have to pay quite a bit."