Ballet Inspires Romance

Published February 13, 2026

Ballet Inspires Romance

There is something about the art of ballet that inspires romance. It is very physical while being highly spiritual and emotional.

My parents met in a ballet class and fell in love on the dance floor. Sierra Nevada Ballet (SNB) boasts a number of romantic relationships inspired by this art form.

Sara and Jayson Weir met at Brigham Young University in Utah. Sara was a dancer and Jayson was the ballet class pianist. Jayson says, “I saw Sara, and it was love at first sight.” Ballet became their shared language. Jayson began to go to all Sara’s rehearsals and even joined the backstage crew so he could go on tour with her. It was through his encouragement that Sara danced professionally with the Sacramento Ballet and SNB.

Jayson is the SNB piano accompanist and an SNB Board Member, and Sara is a Principal dancer at SNB. Sara shares, “Jayson has always championed my dancing. He often plays music just for me, and there are times when I dance just for him.” Sara and Jayson live in Reno and have five children, two of whom study ballet at SNB.

Kiara and Lane Saunders met when SNB and the SNB Academy were housed at Fascinating Rhythms studio. Kiara had been a student of mine and later an SNB company member. Lane is the son of dancer/tap teacher Kia Crader and was new to SNB when the couple met and I cast them as partners in the Hungarian Dance in SNB’s Swan Lake. I remember saying, “Those two are perfect together and not only as dance partners.” It was a short time later that they decided to go on their first date and almost immediately became inseparable. The couple was married in 2020 and they continue to dance together in their own tap performing company called The Dapper Tappers. They started a family in January of this year, giving birth to twin boys.

Sierra Nevada Ballet Romantic Partners

Courtesy of the Weir Family

Jayson and Sara Weir

Courtesy of the Saunders Family

Kiara and Lane Saunders

Courtesy of Weir Family

Weir Family

Courtesy of Adams family

Erica Chipp Adams and Oliver Adams

Courtesy of The Adams Family

The Adams Family

Courtesy of Calderon de La Barca family

Ananda Bena-Weber and Manuel Calderon de La Barca

Courtesy of Saunders Family

Ananda Bena-Weber and Manuel Calderon de la Barca

Erica Chipp and Oliver Adams met dancing with SNB. Erica had been a student of mine and went on to dance professionally. In 2012 SNB performed Giselle with Erica in the title role. SNB had a “share” policy with Sacramento Ballet at the time, and we hired Oliver Adams as a soloist on the recommendation of Alexander Biber (SNB, Sacramento Ballet). Oliver, Alex, and Erica became good friends and for the next three summers, they spent many evenings socializing together. Then, in the summer of 2015, things changed. Erica said, “After many summers of dancing with SNB and becoming great friends with Oliver, it was the summer of Romeo and Juliet when that friendship became more. Juliet and Mercutio fell in love. Dance brought us together. If it wasn’t for dance, we may not have met.” Oliver and Erica married shortly after. They have two children (ages 3 and 6) and are expecting their third in May. The couple owns the Dance Workshop in Minden and has a preprofessional performing company, Nevada Dance Company.

My daughter, Ananda Bena-Weber (SNB Associate Artistic Director and Principal dancer), met her husband (world-renowned physicist Manuel Calderon de La Barca) at SNB’s summer performance of Giselle. Ananda was performing Princess Bathilde in Act 1 and the Queen of the Willis in Act 2. Manuel had seen Ananda’s profile on a dating website and googled her personal website to find out where she was performing and showed up in the audience with a bouquet of flowers. Ananda’s first entrance in the production was quite dramatic. Costumed in a magnificent 18th-century red velvet riding habit (created by SNB costumer Lena Riella), Ananda made a spectacular entrance to the welcoming applause of the audience. Manuel was completely captivated: “I remember that I thought Ananda lit up the stage and looked absolutely beautiful. I have since experienced how she lights up the whole world, and I feel as the luckiest man alive that she agreed to dance in the journey of life with me as her partner.” The couple was married 11 months later. Manuel is the star of the IMAX movie Secrets of the Universe and a tenured professor of Physics at UC Davis. We are fortunate to have Manuel as an SNB Board member, SNB Company photographer and videographer and most of all as a member of our family. The couple has a 3-year-old son and are expecting another son in early July.

Steven Porter (my husband) and I share the love of ballet and founded Sierra Nevada Ballet in 2001. Steve remains as SNB Board President Emeritus.

As a joyful wife, mother, grandmother, and artistic director, I am grateful to be part of an art form that inspires romance.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

For information about Sierra Nevada Ballet 2026 performance season and Sierra Nevada Ballet Academy, visit sierranevadaballet.org or call SNB at 775-360-8663.