I have to marvel at the brilliance of Artown’s Executive Director, Beth MacMillan.
It was in October of 2020 when, faced with the COVID venue shutdown, that MacMillan came up with the idea of performing at a large socially distanced (attendance controlled) outdoor performance venue. The fact that the City did not have such a venue did not stop this fearlessly determined lady. “I realized that our community needed to see live performances again. We all need to be able to laugh together and cry together – even if socially distanced.” Beth told me: “In order to put on a large Festival such as Artown, one needs to plan well in advance.” And plan she did, as did SNB.
Originally SNB was scheduled to perform Giselle in July, 2021 at the Sand Harbor outdoor venue on Lake Tahoe and as part of Artown at the Pioneer Center in Reno and at the Carson City Community Center-both indoor venues. But, by September of 2020, indoor performances were still not happening, and both indoor venues had no definite plans as to when they might reopen to live performances. This left SNB without a definite live performance summer venue in Reno and in Carson.
When I got that call from Beth describing her vision for a fabulous new large socially distanced outdoor performance venue constructed at Rancho San Rafael that could be crowd controlled, it felt as if our dream of presenting a live summer performance of Giselle in Reno might be possible.
However, there were many drawbacks. For one thing, the cost for Artown to bring in an outdoor stage for a month was astronomical. Then there were the additional costs of security (day and night), a sound and light system, a full tech crew, “portapotties,” ticket-takers and ushers, etc. Some of this cost had to be passed down to each performing arts organization that decided to rent the facility for their event.
Since presenting a large classical story ballet is quite costly to begin with, adding a high rental fee presented a great challenge for SNB. But the SNB Board felt that this new performance venue was filled with amazing possibilities, would be historic for the Artown Festival, and they agreed with Beth MacMillan that it is very important for the community to be able to come together again for live performances. So (despite the high rental fee) the SNB Board elected to move forward with presenting Giselle at Rancho San Rafael on July 17th, 2021 at 7:30 PM.
Instead of selling tickets individually for Rancho events, Artown elected to sell Ticket “Pods” (4 ticket places together) with 6 feet of social distance between each Pod to ensure the safety of their audiences. Members can elect to purchase a pod as a single place or as a place to sit with friends (up to 4). Pods for Giselle range from $66 to $89 per pod (which translates to between $16.50 to $22.25) per individual ticket. Audience members are invited to bring blankets or low-backed chairs and refreshments (no glass) to the venue, and some food and beverages will be available for purchase for those who wish to include a fun picnic experience as part of the performance event.
SNB’s production of Giselle is based upon the original 1841 choreography by Perrot and Coralli, passed down to me by the legendary ballet great, Igor Youskevitch, and features principal dancers from Oklahoma City Ballet: Dayoung Jung as Giselle and Alejandro Gonzales as Albrecht, with Ananda Bena-Weber as Myrtha (Queen of the Wilis), Domingo Rubio as Hilarion, Alexander Biber as the Prince, Carson Ford as the lead Peasant and Bruka’s Mary Bennett as Berthe, mother of Giselle.
This beloved classic story about the young peasant girl who falls in love with a Royal Duke is filled with romance, humor, drama, and heartbreak. The moving music of Adolphe Adam combined with the ethereal choreography for the dancers creates an unforgettable esthetic experience for the audience. In this time (when we have had to remain distanced from one another) the esprit de corps (spirit of the group) that is exhibited in this magnificent ballet is something to be especially treasured by us all.
Besides presenting Giselle at Rancho San Rafael on July 17, SNB will present Giselle at the Brewery Arts Center (outdoor venue) on July 23 at 7:30 PM and at the Sand Harbor outdoor venue on Lake Tahoe on July 26 at 7:30 PM as part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. In addition, SNB will present a FREE concert, Dancing On The Plaza , in front of the Pioneer Center on July 30 at 8:00 PM. This event will be live-streamed and include music and song with guest stars: International Tap great, Sam Weber; singer/musician Eric Henry Anderson, and composer/musician Zach Terran performing with the SNB company of dancers.
This will be an exciting summer of live performances for SNB and a historic month-long Festival for Artown. Do not miss it!
For SNB ticket information: visit www.sierranevadaballet.org or call 775-360-8663.
Alexander Cain Biber (Principal Dancer/ Ballet Master/ Choreographer in Residence/Teacher) grew up in a performing arts family and has loved theater and performing from an early age. He began his ballet training, at the age of 14, with Rosine Bena at Western Nevada Performing Arts Center – studying ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theater. In 2003, Alexander became an apprentice with Sierra Nevada Ballet and was promoted to the first company in 2006, to soloist in 2008, and to Principal in 2012.
Jennifer Lightfoot-Johnson (Grant Writer and Development Consultant) comes to SNB with 16 years of experience, both professionally and as a volunteer, in grant writing and working in the nonprofit sector.
Jennifer Boyle August (Guest Teacher/Choreographer) discovered her love of dance in Reno, Nev. During her time at Reno High School, Jennifer took a Modern class at TMCC, with instruction in Graham, Luigi, and Horton dance technique. While Jennifer was educated in other areas of dance, she felt these styles spoke to her more than anything else. After graduating from Reno High School, she moved to Boston to study dance with Joan Palladino at Dean College where she received her Associate’s Degree in Dance. She was then hand-selected by Judith Jamison to study at Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Intensive program in New York City.
Sara Weir (Demi Soloist) was born in Provo, Utah, and started ballet at age three. She trained in dance with Trisha Wilstead at Rocky Mountain Dance and then trained with Brittany Squires and Heather Gray at Jaquiline’s School of Ballet. She performed professionally with Showcase and Theater Ballet at Brigham Young University, Utah Regional Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet.
Carlee Bertero (Soloist/ Teacher) was born in northern Nevada and began studying dance at an early age at Fascinating Rhythm School of Performing Arts in Reno. Carlee was invited to join the Sierra Nevada Ballet Apprentice program in 2012; was raised to the first company in 2013; to featured corps member in 2016, to Demi-Soloist in 2017, and to Soloist in 2021. She has performed in many SNB story ballets such as Peanutcracker-The Story In A Nutshell, Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty-A Fairy’s Tale, A Midsummer Nights Dream- A Steam Punk Ballet, and Twelfth Night-A Ballet Noir. She has performed as a featured dancer with SNB annually in Dancing By The River as part of Reno’s Artown Festival and in SNB’s annual Brew Brats and Ballet in Reno and Carson City.
Domingo Rubio (Second Permanent Guest Artist/Guest Teacher) is SNB’s second Permanent Guest Artist as of May 2005. He has danced professionally for some 30 years. Domingo has danced with the Joffrey Ballet and Ballet Hispanico and was featured in the Robert Altman film, The Company. Rubio danced the role of Maxfield Parrish in SNB’s, A Painter’s Love Story and is a featured artist in SNB’s Dancing By the River and annual ballet classics.
Sam Weber (First Permanent Guest Artist/ Guest Teacher) is SNB’s first Permanent Guest Artist and is a founding member of the Company. He was one of the first permanent guest artists of The Reno Ballet under the direction of Rosine Bena. Weber danced with the Joffery Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and The Jazz Tap Ensemble. Besides being a fine ballet dancer, Weber is considered one of the greatest tap dancers in the world. He is known as “the fastest feet in tap.”
Gina Nelson (SNB Company Coordinator for Carson City and SNB Board Member) is originally from Napa Valley, Calif., and a long-time supporter of the arts and arts education. Gina worked as a crisis prevention specialist in a day treatment elementary school and was a counselor/teacher in a non-public school for at-risk boys.
Steven M. Porter (SNB Board President/SNB CEO) is a long-time devotee of the arts. Originally from the East Coast, Steve was raised with love and devotion to all the arts.
Cathy Mercer (SNB Company Coordinator for Reno/Managing Director/Board Member) grew up in Carson City and is a former dancer with a long-time devotion to the art form.
Ananda Bena-Weber (Associate Director, Dance Artist/ Ballerina/Principal/Teacher) is a principal dancer and NY award-winning artist and the Associate Director of the Sierra Nevada Ballet and a founding member. She has danced professionally as a soloist with the Reno Ballet when it was formed in 1994/95 and 1996. She danced with Perspectives Dance Theatre and Fascinating Rhythm Productions. She has appeared as a featured soloist with Sam Weber performing in Morton Gould’s “Concerto for Tap Dancer and Orchestra” throughout the SF Bay Area. She has appeared in principal roles in several original dance works such as Take Me To The River and Blue Rondo, and classics such as Les Sylphides, Romeo and Juliet, and Paquita.
Rosine Bena (Founder and Artistic Director/Master Teacher)
Sophia Riella (Trainee) was born in Truckee, Calif. She started ballet at the age of two with Sherrie Petersen, Sierra Ballet School and continued there for six years while also studying Irish and Scottish Dance with Lindsey Marccaci in Lake Tahoe and at Truckee Dance Factory doing competition dance. She has also studied classical music, composing, and piano with Elaine Courtney and has studied voice with Stephanie McMoy.
Erin Garman (First Year Company) began dancing at the age of 12 at Scene Stealers Theatre Arts where she trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, musical theatre, and ballet. She later began training with Fascinating Rhythm School of Performing Arts where she continued training in many styles and at Sierra Nevada Ballet Academy where she first met Rosine Bena, and started getting more serious about ballet, also dancing with Spiral Ballet.
Maya Macias (Trainee) was born in Houston, Texas into a military family. While her family was stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, at age two and a half years old, Maya began studying dance at the Children’s Ballet Theater because she wanted to go to “ballerina school. “ Maya continued her ballet training at Space Coast Ballet and when she was six years old, she began performing with Space Coast Ballet in the Nutcracker.
Olivia Mann (SNB Summer Demi Soloist) began studying at the age of four at Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, and the Dallas Ballet Center and later trained at Booker T. Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts.
Heather Rodriguez (Trainee) started dancing at nine years old in Corpus Christi, Texas. She continued studying Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz throughout her childhood with Corpus Christi Concert Ballet.