Published November 1, 2024

Fall is filled with excitement for Sierra Nevada Ballet!

by Rosine Bena
 

SNB just finished the highly acclaimed October performances of DRACULA-The Ballet at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno and Carson City Community Center.

Performances received standing ovations from audiences at both venues and comments from audience members:

“I am an avid ballet goer and this is the best ballet I have EVER seen!”

“This ballet belongs on Broadway and I am sure it is heading there.”

“I have attended almost all the dance productions that have been presented
at the Pioneer Center for over 30 years and this is the best dance production
I have ever seen at the Pioneer Center.”

This year SNB added the DRACULA Ball After Dark, courtesy of the Renaissance Hotel in Reno, immediately following the DRACULA performance at the Pioneer on October 26. Audience members got to attend the Ball for free with their ballet ticket and enjoyed food, refreshments, a costume contest, a dance contest, and they sampled different cocktails while dancing with some of the stars of DRACULA. SNB and the Renaissance hope to make this an annual Halloween event in Reno.

In September, SNB started rehearsals for the fun-filled annual production of the PEANUTCRACKER-The Story in a Nutshell, which is specially designed for families with young children. PEANUTCRACKER will be performed at two locations in December 2024:

Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts

• Dec. 1 at 2pm and 5pm (open to the public)
• Dec. 2 at 10am and 12pm (for schools only)
   

Carson City Community Center

• Dec. 6 at 10am and 12pm (for schools only)
• Dec. 7 at 2pm and 4pm (open to the public)
   

Note, the second performance on Dec. 7 will be narrated in both English and Spanish.

This year’s production includes the SNB professional company and over 80 student dancers from throughout the northern Nevada community. SNB Academy student Santi Palacio will share the lead male child role of “Fritz” and the featured role of the “Teddy Bear” with SNB Academy student, Tommy Weir. Santi said, “I am so excited and cannot wait to perform in PEANUTCRACKER this year!”

On Nov. 1, 2024, SNB Academy brings back the very popular FREE Boys Ballet program (by request) for boys between the ages of seven and thirteen. Boys who enroll in this program get to take a free weekly ballet class at SNB Academy for one year with an option to continue if they have interest. SNB originally started this program in 2019 to encourage boys who show an interest to try out the athletic art form of ballet.

Recent studies show that ballet dancers outperform football, basketball, and baseball players in various athletic physical categories. Ballet study strengthens core muscles and enhances performance in all sports. The Boys Ballet program proved very popular and had an enrollment of over 20 boys but SNB was forced to discontinue the program in 2020 due to the Covid virus outbreak.

This year’s Boys Ballet class will be taught on Fridays from 4:00pm to 5:00pm by SNB Company dancer Davie Johnson at SNB’s new state-of-the-art facility at the Northern Nevada Performing Arts Collective at 500 East Moana Lane in Reno. Johnson is looking forward to teaching this class which is specially designed for young boys. Johnson said, “This class is a great way for boys to gain strength and agility in a very supportive, nurturing environment.”

Based on the popularity of SNB’s DRACULA Ball, SNB (in collaboration with the Steinway Society Music School and Sierra School for Performing Arts) has plans to present a monthly fun-filled evening Dance JAM for people in our community who enjoy getting together socially to dance, sing, and play music. The first JAM (date TBD) will be led by SNB Associate Director Ananda Bena-Weber and SNB Company dancer Anthony McMenamy, and will include music, dance and refreshments at the Northern Nevada Performing Arts Collective facility. 

Also on the SNB upcoming Fall agenda is a Free Sports and Performance medicine presentation with a professional dietitian and a physical therapist. Dancers are considered elite athletes and must train for strength and health by eating right and cross training. SNB, in collaboration with Sports and Performance Physical Therapy, will offer a free event for dancers in the next few months (date TBD) at the Northern Nevada Performing Arts Collective facility to create individual dietary and fitness plans based on each person’s body type, strength, and physical ability.

This Fall is an exciting season filled with numerous wonderful SNB events for the northern Nevada community!

Visit SNB at www.sierranevadaballet.org or call 775-360-8663 for information about all SNB and SNB Academy eventst in person. 

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The Importance of Passing Down Legacy in the Art of Ballet by Rosine Bena — August 16, 2024

SNB’s Sleeping Beauty and Prince Have Found True Love in Real Life by Rosine Bena — July 12, 2024

Summer is a Time for the Arts in Our Community by Rosine Bena — June 7, 2024

Spring Has Sprung at Sierra Nevada Ballet with Exciting Events! by Rosine Bena — May 3, 2024

Brew, Brats & Ballet Highlights New Collaborative Performances this Spring by Rosine Bena — March 29, 2024

SNB Creates New Choreography in Collaboration with the Steinway Piano Gallery by Rosine Bena — February 23, 2024

The Arts Are Stronger Together by Rosine Bena — January 19, 2024

SNB Collaborates with Arts Organizations to Create a Performing Arts Hub in Reno by Rosine Bena — December 15, 2023

SNB’s Holiday Peanutcracker Brings the Community Together by Rosine Bena — November 3, 2023

SNB Presents a Tale of Horror in the Spirit of Halloween and Burning Man by Rosine Bena — September 22, 2023

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The Peanutcracker: The Story behind the Story by Rosine Bena — December 16, 2022

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SNB’s Swan Lake: The Product of a Devoted Arts Communityby Rosine Bena — August 12, 2022

SNB Presents Swan Lake with an International cast of Professional Dancers by Rosine Bena — July 15, 2022

SNB Performs Swan Lake at Eldorado as Part of Artown  by Rosine Bena — June 17, 2022
 

Swan Lake: A Life-Changing Experience by Rosine Bena — May 20, 2022

SNB Presents the Popular Brew, Brats and Ballet in Reno and Carson Cityby Rosine Bena — April 22, 2022

Regional Dance America Presents Inaugural Festival in Renoby Rosine Bena — April 1, 2022