The 2023-2024 season marks Ballet West’s 60th anniversary, and the company is celebrating that milestone by staging several beloved fan favorites. Ballet West began the season at the end of October with a production of Dracula, and several colleagues and I attended its last performance.
The story opens in the crypt of Count Dracula’s castle where he and his wives awaken from their coffins. Even though Dracula (Adrian Fry) already has several wives, he thirsts for more. Consequently, his henchman, Renfield (David Huffmire), abducts and delivers Flora (Emily Adams), a beautiful young woman from the village. Dracula exerts his power over her, and she reluctantly takes her place among the other brides. The scene changes to the village itself where the innkeeper (Tyler Gum) and his wife (Katlyn Addison) are celebrating their daughter Svetlana’s (Jenna Rae Herrera) 18th birthday. A young man from the village named Frederick (Jordan Veit) is in love with Svetlana and asks the innkeeper for her hand in marriage. Count Dracula, having heard of Svetlana’s beauty, arrives at the height of festivity and abducts her. He whisks her away to his castle where he attempts to make her his next bride. However, Frederick, the innkeeper, and a priest (Brian Waldrep) burst into the Count’s bedroom in time to save her.
Adrian Fry gave an understated performance in his portrayal of Dracula, the most compelling part of which were his hand gestures pressuring his brides to submit to him. He danced beautifully in Act III as he paired with Emily Adams and then Jenna Rae Herrera. However, another colleague and I agreed that we would have liked to see him dance the role overall with more energy and conviction, even if the part of an undead character lent itself to subdued interpretation. In contrast, Jordan Veit as Frederick and David Huffmire as Renfield delivered thoroughly charismatic performances that were full of vitality. Huffmire stole the show on several occasions as he vigorously danced solos that encompassed the entire stage. His solos were particularly enjoyable to watch! I also was pleased to see Jenna Rae Herrera in the role of Svetlana as she is one of my favorite Ballet West dancers. She danced gracefully throughout, connecting well with Jordan Veit and performing exquisite pas de deux and solos in which she looked weightless. Dancing with both Veit and Fry, she aptly matched their emotion and expression.
In addition to noting highlights from individual dancers, I appreciated watching the corps de ballet who filled the roles of Count Dracula’s brides in Acts I and III and the villagers in Act II. As Dracula’s brides, the corps dancers wore grayish-white, ethereal costumes that successfully conveyed an otherworldly mood. I particularly liked how their choreography shaped them into compositions of several dancers that resembled statues. This, too, communicated the idea of a haunted, semi-abandoned Neo-Gothic setting. The dancers’ costuming and choreography in Act II marked a dramatic contrast as they appeared in brightly colored clothing and participated in lively folk-dancing. I loved the joyful festivity of Act II, particularly as the female dancers performed a dance with ribbons that resembled a Maypole dance.
Dracula was only the beginning of what promises to be wonderful season of dance. Ballet West continues its 60th anniversary season with a production of The Firebird that also includes Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes and a world premiere of Fever Dream by newly-retired company artist Joshua Whitehead. This production is currently running with performances tonight and Saturday, November 11, 2023. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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