To Bite or Not To Bite...

The Sacramento Ballet studios are full of excitement these days as we continue to prepare for our October repertoire series, opening on October 22.  The studios are filled with the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky as the women of the company immerse themselves in the difficult and ever-vibrant choreography of Mr. Balanchine and respectively the company dancers work tirelessly to bring the joy and precise attack to the brilliant work of Trey McIntyre, featured in his exuberant ballet “Second Before the Ground”.  Although these two pieces of repertoire consistently force me to work to my limits (especially my opening solo in Mr. McIntyre’s piece), I have also been given a great challenge by my artistic directors in Ron Cunnignham’s Dracula, in which I will play both the role of Count Dracula and Jonathon Harker.

In the same rehearsal as Count Dracula

In the same rehearsal as Jonathon Harker



            While I continue to be a huge supporter of ballets, whereas there is no story to support the basis for the movement – as is apparent in most all Balanchine ballet and many contemporary works – I love ballets that allow me to explore the development of specific characters within a plot.  In rehearsals with Mr. Cunningham I must not only work on the difficult movements, but am required to create two separate and very different personas of two men (one alive and one undead) who are extreme polar opposites.  As Dracula I must transform myself into a deranged being of passionate blood lust – with a spirit of incomparable confidence and power over others.  I have been trying to research the history of vampire lore and especially that of the character of Dracula, as created by Bram Stoker – who offers a preface on how and why Dracula is the damned form that he is.  I think the understanding of the history of a character is invaluable in any portrayal.  Although the character of Jonathon Harker is perhaps not as complex as that of the Count, his character and presence within the ballet is vital – representing the image, spirit and passion of man.  He is the embodiment of the universal fear and tentative nature that all people experience at one point in their lives – whether it be the mysterious creatures under the bed that you fear as a child or the equivalent feeling that we may experience walking down a strange street in a dangerous neighborhood.  As Harker I must create a character that is submerged into a world of disturbed beings and unnatural creatures and who must face these fears in order to protect his love.

            As rehearsals continue I am beginning to create a fine definition of characterization – although I admit there are still moments in rehearsals (when I must play both characters within the same 30 minute time frame) that I find myself forgetting who I am supposed to be.  Today it became a little clearer to distinguish my separate roles, since we added the complication of Count Dracula’s cape, which was surprisingly much more difficult than I expected!  Hopefully during the shows I will remember when to bite or not to bite… which at this moment in time seems to be the real question.