SNB Presents an Eclectic Brew, Brats & Ballet

Published March 31, 2023

SNB Presents an Eclectic Brew, Brats & Ballet

I love Spring! It is my favorite time of year. The season exhibits new life and inspires a spirit of hope. I also love it because, for SNB, it is a time of great creativity as we prepare for our annual Brew, Brats & Ballet – A celebration of New Choreography.

This year we are featuring works by eight different choreographers (including me).

Each work is short, exhibiting the signature of the choreographer. Each style is different and unique, creating an interesting, eclectic program.

Alexander Biber teamed up with his mother, Mary Bennett (Director of Bruka Theater), to create Raisonneur – a piece using experimental theater work called View Points combined with ballet. Alex said, “At first I was not sure how this would work; my field is dance, and my mother’s field is theater. But the physical roots are similar and once we began to work together with the dancers, the piece took on a life of its own.”

Barbara Land created a ballet, El Guacamayo (The Macaw) – dedicated to her dear friend Ryan Watson, the medic who was recently killed in a plane crash. The ballet is based upon her work in the Amazon jungle and the outstanding beauty of the colorful birds that can be found everywhere there.

Jennifer Boyle August created two new works for SNB: Rot Next To You (a pas de deux for herself and Alex Biber) and Foglia Gialla (Yellow Leaf), an ensemble piece for seven dancers. I asked Jen about the pas de deux piece: “When I saw a piece of artwork by Morgan Carpenter (a talented local Galena High School artist) I felt drawn to create a dance inspired by her artwork. It is basically a love story but with a creepy side. It's been so much fun working with Alex; I have loved every minute! He is an exceptional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and he matches my creative side.”

It is Jamie Wright’s first time choreographing for SNB, and the dancers loved working with him. Jamie is the Lines Dance Center Assistant Manager and Artistic Director of The Dance Wright Project in SF. His work Great Scott is a real upbeat, fun and very aerobic choreographic piece. Jamie told us: “My piece is an excerpt from a larger ballet called Great Scott! – a whimsical exploration of the early compositions of Raymond Scott, an avant-garde composer whose work spanned the 1930s through the 1960s. Working with SNB has been so fulfilling; the dancers were game to embrace the style and the movement and truly rose to the occasion in a very short creation process. I hope to expand this piece and recreate the larger complete work for SNB in the future.”

Adam Cates creation Fix You takes place in front of a large mirror. Adam told us: “I want each dancer to create their own story as they work on this piece. They must dig deep inside themselves so that it means something to each of them in order to move the audience.” At the end of the creation process Adam thanked all of us and asked the entire SNB company to join hands and reflect upon the uplifting experience we’d all had together. There was not a dry eye in the company.

Oliver Adams decided to go in a completely different direction with his light and lyrical A Moment In Time to the beautiful music of Chopin.

I love the music of Chopin but decided to use the music of Lizt when creating my full-length ballet The Last Unicorn in 1989. I will be recreating this ballet based upon the book by Peter S. Beagle this summer and decided to do an excerpt of it for the BBB program.According to the dancers, this excerpt is the most technically challenging piece on the program.

Ananda Bena-Weber also decided to create an excerpt of the new Dracula ballet that she is choreographing for SNB which will premiere in October 2023. This piece is to the music of Astor Piazzolla. Ananda told us: “Piazolla’s music is very excitingly dramatic and often has a sinister almost frightening feeling with a dark undercurrent. I think he is the perfect composer to create a real scary atmosphere for Dracula. The result is something that must be seen in person. It makes one very excited to see the entire Dracula production in the Fall.”

At BBB we encourage audiences to interact with each choreographer as they talk about their creative process and therefore have chosen two wonderful, intimate venues. We therefore, encourage you to get your tickets early.

Jen August said it best: “Working with Sierra Nevada Ballet truly makes my heart so happy.”

I agree and add that working on this exciting program with these very talented choreographers in BBB truly makes my heart happy.

Performances of Brew, Brats & Ballet are April 29 (7:30 PM) at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City and May 5 (7:30 PM), 6 (7:30 PM , 7 (2 PM) at Reno Little Theater.

For ticket information call 775-360-8663 or visit www.sierranevadabllet.org

Brew, Brats & Ballet