On April 24, The Great Gatsby will premiere downtown at the Capitol Theatre. One of BalletMet’s veteran dancers, Jimmy Orrante, has choreographed the production.

When the idea was presented to him last spring, Orrante jumped at the chance to choreograph his first full-length ballet. As the opening date approaches, he is spending his days trying to bring the raw energy of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic and the roaring 1920s to life.

Orrante took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to CityScene about how he’s tackling the project, what he hopes will draw audiences and how he spends what little free time he has.

CityScene: What was your inspiration for this ballet?
Jimmy Orrante: The idea was brought to me by my artistic director, Gerard Charles. He asked what I thought about doing a full-length (ballet). I was kind of thrown back a little bit because I’ve done a few works here in the company and they’ve been at the average about 20 minutes. But, a full length is three times that. I thought it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up and something I’d be willing to try.

CS: Were you familiar with the story of The Great Gatsby?
JO: I had to go back and read it because high school was the last time I read it, and it’s been a while. I had to go back and read it again, and again, and again. Right now I’m on my third time and something different always jumps out at me. Every time I read the book there’s always something new that I read or something about a character – the way a character stands, or what clothes they’re wearing, or where their hair hangs – all these little details in the book that jump out at different times. It’s always good to keep going back and connecting so that I don’t miss anything.

CS: Once you had your idea, what was the process?
JO: My original plan was to have a scenario and get the scenario down of what I wanted to portray. Of course, I can’t be as literal as the book is. Then, I tried to gather as much music as I can, get my scenario together and plug in my music to the scenes. Some of it was reverse – I had the music first.

I’m trying to use period music from that 1920s era. A lot of the songs had that same tempo, the same jazzy feeling, the same quickness to it. I couldn’t get anything different that could portray the different emotions from the different characters on stage. I’m working right now with our music director, Michael Popov, and just trying to find some symphony, some strings that would go along with the music so it doesn’t all of a sudden take a different path. That was the problem that I ran into, but I really enjoy the music of the ‘20s, it is so fun. It’s going to be fun creating this music.

CS: What are you personally looking forward to with this production?
JO: No matter what, it’s going to be a challenge. I’ll see how it flows out of me. I’m working with dancers that I’m familiar with, dancers that I’ve worked with for years. I know what they can do and I know their style of movement, and I think they know my style so I think there will be some assisting going on back and forth. I think there will be a nice communication.

CS: What can audiences look forward to?
JO: This is a story that is very familiar to teachers, to students, to people who just like to read. It’s an American classic. My first objective is to tell the story and make sure the audience is taken with the story and that they don’t get left behind at some point. That’s going to be the hard part, but that’s also going to drive my choreographic process, making sure that the characters are doing what they are supposed to do in this production.

It was a fun period, it sounds like it was a great period before the depression hit. That decade was just extravagant – no one cared about expenses, spending was big, drinking was big, parties were big. So there’s a lot I have to touch on without going overboard.

CS: What is your favorite ballet?
JO: I don’t know if I have an answer for my favorite. I’ve done the classics and I’ve done the neo-classics, and there’s always challenging aspects to everything we do. Of course, a fully classical ballet like Swan Lake or Romeo and Juliet is so challenging on your body. I think every ballet has different challenges in front of you that you have to hurdle.

CS: At the age of 35, will you begin shifting into developing more choreography than dancing?
JO: I take it as it comes to me. This is an opportunity that has been put in front of me, and I’m just taking it one step at a time.

CS: How do you spend your free time when you’re not dancing?
JO: I like to play with my kids (son Isaac, 5, and daughter Aiyana, 2), which involves wrestling or flying them around the house like they’re birds. My time is pretty occupied.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel of extravagance, deception and despair during Prohibition’s height, is April 24-May 2 at the Capitol Theatre, Riffe Center, 77 S. High St. Visit www.balletmet.org for more information or tickets.

Anna Gerber is a contributing writer for CityScene.