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Getting college students interested in ballet is like getting them to do homework on a Friday night.

It’s nearly impossible.

So it’s a daunting task to get the 18-21 year-olds interested in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the current production of the Colorado Ballet playing at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

But where there’s a will, there’s a way…even when a rendition of Shakespeare’s humorous classic seems ancient and overdone.

The Colorado Ballet advertises A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a production that will titillate the senses. Well, it only manages to excite two out of the five, but that’s enough to get college students wandering into the theater.

We see the dancers perform amazing feats, and it starts with their toes. They don’t just stand on the tips of their toes either- they walk, jump and sway on them. As they raise their legs near to their heads, we see the backs of their feet arch like horseshoes.

The male dancers lift the women as easily as they raise their arms, and they jump as far and high as the “King of Air” himself. Could a 250-pound Denver Bronco do this? Probably not.

And what can stimulate the sense of sight more than seeing slim dancers swing back and forth? The fairies, with glitter all over, show off see-through costumes that dance with the imagination, just like Britney does in her videos. And let’s not forget about Puck, the mischievous wood sprite. He runs around stage in fig leaves, showing off a physique that can only be obtained by working out four hours a day, every day.

The music accompaniment, resonating from what seems to be a pair of stereo speakers, has a whimsical feel to it that unwinds and humors the listeners. Paired with the coordination and syncronized performances of the dancers, you spend two hours in rest and relaxation. And that’s something that all college students can use during midterms!

And if you think Shakespeare is boring, the rendition by the Colorado Ballet will make you think otherwise.

The production seems to mimic an MTV show in which there is a love triangle where one girl is dismissed and two guys fight over another girl. There is a man running around wearing a donkey’s head, while a fairy queen pursues him relentlessly-a scene that could seemingly have been conjured by the foul minds of Andy Dick and Tom Green.

Still, there are more reasons to go view the Colorado Ballet. You also get a chance to mingle with the upper class. Sip a bit of wine before the show, giggle at them while they itch in their fancy garbs and you relax in your comfortable, yet formal-looking, Gap outfit.

The interest level of college students for the ballet is as high as their interest in learning economics on Monday mornings. But A Midsummer Night’s Dream might have a chance to change their minds.

It offers plenty of elements that will capture their attention. The production continues to run Wednesday through Sunday until May 12.