“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” presented by Columbia Classical Ballet Victor Hugo’s timeless story of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is being brought to life on the stage of the Koger Center by the Columbia Classical Ballet.

The story tells of a horribly deformed baby, Quasimodo, who was left on the steps of the Notre Dame Cathedral in 1400 Paris and was adopted and raised by a priest who loved him in spite of his handicaps. The story is full of meaty characters with multiple layers, which was one of the biggest challenges for Radenko Pavlovich, the artistic director of the ballet company and the creator of this piece. He said he fell in love with the tale as a boy.

“I was around 14– years–old when I first read the story and I was fascinated by it from the beginning,” Pavlovich said. “It’s filled with everything in life, the beauty and the tragedy, the happiness and the sadness.”

In mid–March, Pavlovich began his adaptation, and began designing the sets and the costumes. He said this production is truly one from his heart.

“I was careful to capture the authenticity and style of the period,” he said. “The lighting, the sets and the clothing all contribute to that so it was a humongous project.”

But with the opening on Friday morning, Pavlovich said he and his dancers are ready.

“We have phenomenal and accomplished dancers from all over the world,” Pavlovich said. “Because they are so diversified, their chemistry is amazing. When they come together on stage, it’s like watching fireworks.”

A native of Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Pavlovich began his ballet training at the age of eight, after being selected by Yugoslavian officials for his apparent dance potential.

He was sent to Sarajevo Opera Ballet School, where he quickly advanced to the top of his class, earning him the privilege to attend the prestigious Vaganova Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia. In his final year, he said he wanted to broaden his horizons. He gained acceptance, and a full scholarship, to attend the Royal Ballet School in London, England, becoming the only foreign student in a highly elite graduating class.

Pavlovich said that one of the hardest decisions a dancer must make is when to retire.

“Ballet is a visual art and must be respected,” he said. “A dancer, of course always wants to dance, but the art itself is for the young.”

After his own decision to retire, Pavlovich relocated to Columbia, where he opened the Pavlovich Dance School in Forest Acres. When he discovered the need for a sophisticated classical ballet company in the area, he responded by founding Columbia Classical Ballet. The company, from its inception, has been comprised of the highest–caliber dancers, qualifying Columbia Classical Ballet as one of the most distinctive and reputable companies of its size. Company members have earned accolades at national and international competitions, and have danced as guests and residing artists throughout the world, Pavlovich said.

“The Columbia Classical Ballet is dedicated to providing South Carolina audiences with the experience of classical ballet performed by the recognized ballet stars of the day,” Pavlovich said

The Columbia Classical Ballet is in its 11th year and gets a lot of support from the cities of Columbia and Forest Acres as well as Richland County. Because of that support, Lee Lumpkin, chairwoman of the executive board for the company, said the company’s potential is being realized to its fullest.

“It’s wonderful that the city cares enough to introduce ballet to people who normally wouldn’t get the chance to enjoy it,” she said. “The joy is so real from both the audience and the dancers and it feels like we’re turning a wonderful corner in the growth process of the company,

Additionally, the Columbia Classical Ballet actively supports the community in an effort to give back, she said. One way is an annual charity performance called LifeChance. LifeChance is an alliance of internationally renowned artists joining with local artists to perform one night of spectacular entertainment and to raise awareness for a different charitable organization each year, Lumpkin said. Known as Ballet of the Parks, Columbia Classical Ballet distributes its tickets through the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department.

She said that because the company now had a warehouse, they could begin to build and make their own sets and that was stride in a new and better direction.

“Because Radenko designed the sets and costumes and choreographed the dance, this is a huge production that belongs to our company,” Lumpkin said. “This is laying a solid foundation to create a repertoire and that will be wonderful for Columbia.”

The company gives away almost a thousand seats for every production and invites school children from several districts to come enjoy the magic of the dance, she said.

Pavlovich agreed with Lumpkin about the importance of introducing ballet to school children. He said if they never experience it, they won’t be able to know what they are missing.

“Since I’ve retired, it’s now my job to pass the torch to newer and better students each year,” he said. “Perhaps we’ll find some of them in our audiences. Brooklayn Mack, a dancer from our outreach audience has placed second in two competitions for the world’s best dancer. What if he had never been given the chance to see a ballet?”

The three–act ballet about the Hunchback of Notre Dame is roughly an hour–and–a–half long. Pavlovich said that in itself was a challenge in the writing.

“The characters are intense and intrinsic to the story,” he said. “Knowing which ones to pull while condensing the story yet keeping the storyline intact and interesting was difficult but worth the effort.”

He said the Columbia audiences have become savvier over the years.

“The people of Columbia have come to expect more from their arts,” he said. “The interest has grown without question, and I like to think that our company has had a hand in pushing that interest and knowledge of dance up a notch. I chose this city and my goal has always been to give the people the best performances possible, and I hope I’m accomplishing that goal.”

The “Hunchback of Notre Dame” will have two performances on Friday, October 16 at 9:30 am and that evening at 7:30 pm at the Koger Center. Tickets range from $5 to $32 and can be purchased at the door or by going online to columbiaclassicalballet.org.