Published June 2, 2023

Heart and Soul

by Steve Trounday

The heart and soul of any ballet company is the corps de ballet. Translated from French, the corps de ballet means the body of the ballet and consists of a group of dancers – not soloists. The corps de ballet is generally a stable part of a ballet company and many of the dancers have been in a corps for many years. The corps, almost always on pointe, dance synchronized movements and work as one.

The corps de ballet for A.V.A. Ballet Theatre, the resident ballet company for the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, is made up of 20 to 25 local women ages 16 to 24. A good majority of the dancers are students at the University of Nevada, Reno or students at local high schools. Artistic director Alexander Van Alstyne expects his corps to dance at a level that compares favorably to big city ballets.

Being a member of the corps de ballet takes great commitment, determination, and effort. In preparation for a classical production with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, most of the corps takes a minimum of three to four pointe classes each week. These classes are an hour and a half long. Rehearsal time each week is another five hours. It is a grueling and often painful regimen.

And then there’s school. Imagine how difficult it must be to take the pointe classes and attend the rehearsals while enduring a full semester of studies at a top high school or UNR. Now imagine the pointe classes, the rehearsals, the university level curriculum, and add on final exams. You see, the two biggest productions from A.V.A. Ballet Theatre both occur during finals. The Nutcracker is the second weekend of December and the spring classical ballet is usually the last weekend of April.

How do they do it all, and why? To find out the answers to these questions, I attended one of their pointe classes. I sat down with several of them to discuss their ballet careers and education. First, how do they do it?

“It’s quite a juggling act,” Bishop Manogue sophomore Juliana Zorio said. The 15-year-old says squeezing study time in while rehearsing is difficult. “I have learned to multitask but I take it day to day. When I get stressed or start thinking negatively, I walk into the dance studio and express all that I’m feeling through ballet, by creating beautiful movements and stories.” 

Reno High School junior Kate Bland, 16, says her life can get a little hectic but she loves it all. Bland was cast in the pivotal role of Clara in last year’s performances of A.V.A. Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker.

Both dancers try to study in advance as much as they can and then refresh their memories before a test. Bland also stresses good nutrition. “I make sure I eat the right foods,” she said. “It gives me the strength to dance and concentrate on school.”

Okay, I understand the how – with great admiration – but what about the why? Most of these women know they may not be making a career of ballet, yet they put themselves through this ordeal.

“I dance because it was something I was born to do,” Zorio said. “As a child, I would watch every A.V.A. Ballet Theatre The Nutcracker and other performances at the Pioneer Center and I would look up to all of the dancers.” Now that she is dancing on the Pioneer stage, she is living her ballet dreams. “Ballet makes me feel whole and happy. Ballet is my expression, my voice.”

Bland, who has been dancing since she was three years of age, agrees. “Ballet allows me to express my emotions through movement,” she said. “I love the feeling of being on stage and sharing my love of ballet with the audience.” She also enjoys performing with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra. “It’s a cool experience being able to connect with a live orchestra.”

Both women say that being on stage gives them a magical feeling. “We work so hard,” said Bland. “We want to show the audience how well we can dance.”

Every time I interact with the corps de ballet of A.V.A. Ballet Theatre, I come away with great optimism for the future. They are such an inspiration, and I know that they will be the future nurses, doctors, teachers, and dancers who will be leading this community in the coming decades. There are no slackers in this group. It makes me smile.

Steve Trounday is a board member at A.V.A. Ballet Theatre, the resident ballet company of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. The next production is Vortex, the Ballet That Rocks July 14 and 15 at the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch. The ballets are free to the public.

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