ROANOKE, Va. – If you have never been to the ballet before and are a little hesitant about going, this would be a great first show to see.
The dancers from the Roanoke Ballet Theatre said their Halloween show, Dracula, is a fun production and a little scary, but it is still kid-friendly. The show includes some special effects with smoke and lights. However, this is not your classic ballet. Their production of Dracula puts a modern spin on ballet.
There is a lot of freedom and self-interpretation of the characters on stage. Norbert Nirewicz, the choreographer for the ballet, says it is a living, moving production, so they are always changing things up.
“It is a good show for the entire family. Especially for people who never thought about going to the ballet because they have certain preconceptions, ‘this is something I am probably not going to enjoy’. Well this is totally different,” said Nirewicz.
Nirewicz also said that the show has more of a Broadway feel and he hopes the audience sees how talented the dancers truly are.
In the midst of preparing for a new show, the Theatre is also welcoming a new face. Rolando Sarabia is the new Artistic Director and he is coming from the Washington Ballet. He is a Cuban ballet dancer and grew up among other dancers. His father was a dancer with the Cuban National Ballet.
Rolando has quite a bit of experience and has danced with companies all around the world, including the Cuban National Ballet and Miami City Ballet. In 2011, he danced with the American Ballet Theatre. Most recently, he was a principal dancer with the Washington Ballet.
Now he is here in Roanoke, ready to advance the Roanoke Ballet Theatre and show off how much talent the company has. ““I am going to try to promote a little bit more. The trainees, those who come from other countries or cities to train with me and the company. So we give you the opportunity to train with me and also the company has the benefits,” says Sarabia.
Dracula will be performed at the Jefferson Center on Oct. 30 at 2 and 7 P.M. If you plan on attending the show, you will need to provide either proof of being fully vaccinated or proof of a negative PCR COVID test.