Along with taking her family’s Altadena home, the Eaton fire robbed this local choreographer and artistic director of the trappings of her production company. But like the proverbial phoenix, she and her team are transcending the ashes and renewing their creative vision with a distinctly original ballet.

This weekend, Little Women Ballet, founded in 2023 by Emma Andres, 26, will perform its unique immersive shows based on the beloved Louisa May Alcott book “Little Women” — the Victorian-era story of the March sisters and their journey into adulthood.

These five performances, held Friday through Sunday, are taking place inside the Heritage Square Museum in Montecito Heights, where the stages will be the rooms of the actual vintage Victorian homes that make up the museum, with the audience up close for this unusual performance experience.

“We thought, ‘What an interesting way to showcase the show, by also showcasing Victorian architecture,’ ” Andres said. “So, all of the groups that we have come to the show, they’re guided by a narrator who leads them around through the story and takes them into each house, and you see dancing in each house.”

Coupled with the elaborate costumes worn by the performers, Andres said it gives attendees the feeling that they’re actually in Concord, Massachusetts, where the novel took place.

“The immersive part is a very fresh way of experiencing ballet,” said Mila Malakhov, who serves as production adviser to Little Women Ballet and also teaches dance at the Pasadena Civic Ballet, where rehearsals have been held.

“I think it’s a very fun human experience. … Even if you’ve never read the book, the shows are really tangible,” she said, describing it as both emotional and identifiable.

A longtime fan of the book, Andres said it’s in the public domain, allowing access for their project.

“I created a piece on it before this, and it was pretty well received,” she said, in 2021. “So we were like, ‘Well, why don’t we make a whole ballet about it,’ so that was how it came to be.”

Key members of the team include Diane Browne, head production adviser, who’s also artistic director forPasadena Civic Ballet, along with production adviser Ross Clark, composer Daniel Robbins, and production adviser Denise Moses.

“The audience gets a chance to really be a part of it,” said Moses, who appears in the production as a narrator, interacting with the audience. “Instead of just sitting there and watching, they get to interact with a character.

“And when they dance, it’s very close up and you see every emotion, you see every bead of sweat,” Moses said. “It’s something that is very unique.”

Andres said the first time they did the immersive piece was in 2023, expanding it into a full-length stage performance as well.

“I love that it’s a normal women’s story. … It was basically about their lives as ordinary women, but that can be just as exciting or just as extraordinary as any story we see in fiction,” she said.

Unfortunately, the destruction of the Eaton fire left her company having to rebuild again.

“My family lost their house in the fire and all of the Little Women stuff was in their garage … so we are slowly rebuilding our costume inventory and all of that,” Andres said, with Natalie Meyer, board chair of Heritage Square, sewing some of the new costumes for them, including the wedding gown.

There are about 20 dancers taking part in this weekend’s immersive performance.

“The immersive thing has grown in popularity more recently … but not dance specifically,” Andres said. “This is more of a newer phenomenon we’re playing with.”

On June 21 and 22, the company will be performing a full-length stage version of the Little Women Ballet at the Pasadena Playhouse.

“It’s amazing,” said professional dancer Chris Flores of Alhambra, who is a great fan of the original novel.

“I really love how true she was to the story,” he said. “I really love the world-building.”

Flores said the show, which has cast members of all ages, is a great first introduction to ballet.

“It makes it accessible,” he said. “It makes it fun.”

Andres began dancing at age four at thePasadena Civic Ballet, ultimately going on to study dance at UC Irvine, where she now also works. The Pasadena Civic Ballet, however, continues to be a second home for her, not only giving Little Women Ballet rehearsal space, but connecting the production with talent and inspiring Andres on her journey.

“Emma and my daughter danced together for many years,” said Laura Paszkiewicz of Pasadena, who is a Little Women Ballet costume volunteer.

“This is phenomenal. She’s really blossomed,” she said of Andres. “Her choreography is fabulous and I’m just so proud of her.

For more information on the Friday to Sunday immersive Little Women Ballet at the Heritage Square Museum, visit littlewomenballet.com.

For more information on the full-length performance on June 21-22 at the Pasadena Playhouse, visit https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/tickets-events.

Jarret Liotta is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and photographer.