Sierra Nevada Ballet Presents Dracula – by Audience Request

Published September 11, 2026

Sierra Nevada Ballet Presents Dracula – by Audience Request

I was pleasantly surprised (in 2024) when I was paying for purchases at a local store in Reno, and the salesgirl said, “I recognize you. You are the director of that great company that does Dracula.” She then proceeded to tell me how much she loved the ballet and how she hoped we would perform Dracula annually.

That type of encounter happened a number of times in 2024 and then again in 2025 and even in early 2026. People I know, and I do not know; people who are balletgoers and who are not regular ballet goers, or people who know and who do not know SNB at all would tell me things like:

“I saw Dracula – it was fabulous!”

“The dancer who played Dracula was so gorgeous and seductive that I would gladly follow him myself and become a vampire.”

“The ballet was really scary and at the same time romantic and sensuous.”

“I loved the athleticism combined with a sensuous kind of horror.”

“I read the book and the ballet is far better and more entertaining than the book.”

“The story is so interesting and hypnotic that I got completely into it and forgot I was even at a ballet.”

Each of these personal encounters ended with something similar: “I want to see it again” or “I hope you will perform Dracula again every year.”

SNB is fortunate to have a supporter who not only loves the Dracula production but wants to help make it financially possible for SNB to produce it again in 2026. Thanks to this fan and some additional generous donations from the community, SNB will present this very popular creation, Dracula – The Ballet by Ananda Bena-Weber on October 17, 2026, at the Carson City Community Center and on Nov. 1, 2026, at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno. There will be a Dracula Party/Ball after the performance on Nov. 1, and audiences are encouraged to get into the spirit by wearing Halloween costumes to the performances.

(Due to the sexually suggestive content and some “horror story” bloody elements that can be quite unnerving when seen “live,” we do not recommend this production for small children and rate it PG-13.)

Sierra Nevada Ballet Presents Dracula

Malachi Squires as Dracula and Domingo Rubio as Renfield

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SNB's Dracula

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SNB's Dracula

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Malachi Squires as Dracula and Domingo Rubio as Renfield

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Malachi Squires as Dracula (photo courtesy of Malachi Squires)

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SNB's Dracula

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Malachi Squires as Dracula

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This production will again feature the very tall, charismatic, athletic Malachi Squires in the title role with Anthony McMenamy, Sara Weir, Domingo Rubio, Katrin Wilde and Madeline Lee in the supporting lead roles and a company of 20 dancers. Choreographer/Director Ananda Bena-Weber will dance the role of Dr. Van Helsing whose obsessive dedication leads her on a quest to discover the secret power of the hypnotic nobleman from Transylvania.

I asked Ananda what inspired her to create the ballet about the famous vampire: “I read the book and thought it could be translated beautifully into dance with the right music.” She continued, “The fabulous tango music of Astor Piazzola often tells a story in itself. Whereas some composers begin with a theme and develop it and then come back to the same theme -Piazzola often develops a theme and carries it to another new interesting level. That lends itself to interesting storytelling.”

Bena-Weber additionally feels that the sexually suggestive dance style of Tango suits the story of a charismatic, hypnotic character who is capable of seducing his victims to death. Bena-Weber is a multi-disciplinary artist, and her strong sense of theater contributes to her ability to create a fascinating story told through acting, mime, and the dance styles of tango, ballet, tap, and flamenco.

Having personally worked with two of the greatest ballet story tellers of the 20^th century in John Cranko and Sir Kennith MacMilan, I can honestly say that Ananda Bena -Weber has taken great ballet story telling into the 21^st century with Dracula – The Ballet. While I am not usually a fan of “horror” stories, I must admit that Dracula is my favorite of all SNB ballets because it a piece of brilliant entertaining story telling in theater and I (too) find myself wanting to watch it over repeatedly.

We at SNB are so very excited to bring this very popular ballet back to the community by audience request. Do not miss it-get your tickets early!

For SNB ticket information or information about performances or information about the Sierra Nevada Academy call 775-360-8663 or visit sierranevadaballet.org.