It was with mixed feelings that I entered the SNB studio on August 18, 2020. The SNB Board voted to open the studio for Hybrid classes and rehearsals three days a week and do Zoom-only classes and rehearsals three days a week. We had not held classes or rehearsals in the building since March, and, while I felt very excited to be back in person, I was also quite nervous to see if everyone would follow the very detailed COVID protocol that we had set up. The Protocol is listed on the front door, and all participants were emailed the Protocol which includes limiting each studio to 10-12 participants; texting for entrance; no family members allowed; no waiting in the lobby; a limit of two at a time in the building entrance; wearing dance clothes under clothing; taking temperature before entering; wearing mandatory face masks at all times; using hand sanitizer regularly in the building; disinfecting all areas after use (including barres and floor); keeping 6 feet distancing at all time etc…
I was pleasantly surprised to find that everyone followed the protocol with a spirit of camaraderie which is the signature of our SNB family -from the youngest SNBA student to the highest SNB professional principal dancer.
Before COVID the SNB company met in person for class and rehearsal three to six times a week, 10 months a year depending on the performance schedule. Since COVID, the SNB Company has met twice a week for class regularly on ZOOM and (thanks to the City of Reno) has met in person for class and rehearsal four different times outside in different areas of the City.
The first “in studio” company class was on Saturday, August 22, 2020. (The entire company can not meet in the studio due to social distancing so dancers need to alternate weekly with some attending on Zoom. ) Even the face masks could not hide the joy on the faces of every dancer. (I have come to realize that people smile with their hearts, and it radiates through their eyes.)
I had forgotten how very beautifully the SNB dancers move together as a unit, and I found myself in tears as I watched them execute a slow, lyrical Adagio together in the center of the floor. They maintained a proper physical distance, but they moved as one connected spirit which was quite breathtaking and reminded me of the importance of our art form. Ballet is an art form that originated to bring man closer to the angels, and that spirituality was very evident in the SNB Buck studio this past Saturday.
SNB has some very exciting plans to create several virtual performances in the next few months including a live streaming performance to original music by Eric Anderson (Heart to Heart-Eye To Eye), and two educational virtual performances for school children involving the PEANUTCRACKER and a ballet promoting social justice.
SNB Academy continues to add classes in the studio and on Zoom. Thanks to a grant from Renown, SNB will reinstate the popular BOYS ONLY BALLET class in September for boys from age 12 through adult. This 1x a week beginning class will be once again offered FREE for boys interested in studying ballet.
While we are not certain what the future will look like for the art of ballet, we are certain that it will be a bright one. Each time I speak with fellow professional ballet directors, I marvel at their strength and optimism.
I asked my long time friend, Kevin McKenzie (Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre, the national ballet company of the United States) his opinion on the future of the art of Ballet. Here is what he told me: “I think how we slog through the interim on our way back to full blown live performance will determine the future of Ballet. Certainly the use of social media, short concise films and rather abstract expression on specific themes will take dominance. There will probably also be an explosion of material for 3 people or less added to the cannon of work. But clearly, the art form of ballet, until it returns to theaters or live performance, will take a secondary role to the art form of filming it for the foreseeable future. That said, there is an opportunity for many more people to be exposed to mainstream dance through media than live performance, so, there may be a few more converts by the time we dust off our theaters…”
At SNB, our doors are open, and we are excitedly ready to create new art!
The large screen and projector were donated to SNB by the Peppermill Hotel -Casino.
Alexander Cain Biber (Principal Dancer/ Ballet Master/ Choreographer in Residence/Teacher) grew up in a performing arts family and has loved theater and performing from an early age. He began his ballet training, at the age of 14, with Rosine Bena at Western Nevada Performing Arts Center – studying ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theater. In 2003, Alexander became an apprentice with Sierra Nevada Ballet and was promoted to the first company in 2006, to soloist in 2008, and to Principal in 2012.
Jennifer Lightfoot-Johnson (Grant Writer and Development Consultant) comes to SNB with 16 years of experience, both professionally and as a volunteer, in grant writing and working in the nonprofit sector.
Jennifer Boyle August (Guest Teacher/Choreographer) discovered her love of dance in Reno, Nev. During her time at Reno High School, Jennifer took a Modern class at TMCC, with instruction in Graham, Luigi, and Horton dance technique. While Jennifer was educated in other areas of dance, she felt these styles spoke to her more than anything else. After graduating from Reno High School, she moved to Boston to study dance with Joan Palladino at Dean College where she received her Associate’s Degree in Dance. She was then hand-selected by Judith Jamison to study at Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Intensive program in New York City.
Sara Weir (Demi Soloist) was born in Provo, Utah, and started ballet at age three. She trained in dance with Trisha Wilstead at Rocky Mountain Dance and then trained with Brittany Squires and Heather Gray at Jaquiline’s School of Ballet. She performed professionally with Showcase and Theater Ballet at Brigham Young University, Utah Regional Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet.
Carlee Bertero (Soloist/ Teacher) was born in northern Nevada and began studying dance at an early age at Fascinating Rhythm School of Performing Arts in Reno. Carlee was invited to join the Sierra Nevada Ballet Apprentice program in 2012; was raised to the first company in 2013; to featured corps member in 2016, to Demi-Soloist in 2017, and to Soloist in 2021. She has performed in many SNB story ballets such as Peanutcracker-The Story In A Nutshell, Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty-A Fairy’s Tale, A Midsummer Nights Dream- A Steam Punk Ballet, and Twelfth Night-A Ballet Noir. She has performed as a featured dancer with SNB annually in Dancing By The River as part of Reno’s Artown Festival and in SNB’s annual Brew Brats and Ballet in Reno and Carson City.
Domingo Rubio (Second Permanent Guest Artist/Guest Teacher) is SNB’s second Permanent Guest Artist as of May 2005. He has danced professionally for some 30 years. Domingo has danced with the Joffrey Ballet and Ballet Hispanico and was featured in the Robert Altman film, The Company. Rubio danced the role of Maxfield Parrish in SNB’s, A Painter’s Love Story and is a featured artist in SNB’s Dancing By the River and annual ballet classics.
Sam Weber (First Permanent Guest Artist/ Guest Teacher) is SNB’s first Permanent Guest Artist and is a founding member of the Company. He was one of the first permanent guest artists of The Reno Ballet under the direction of Rosine Bena. Weber danced with the Joffery Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and The Jazz Tap Ensemble. Besides being a fine ballet dancer, Weber is considered one of the greatest tap dancers in the world. He is known as “the fastest feet in tap.”
Gina Nelson (SNB Company Coordinator for Carson City and SNB Board Member) is originally from Napa Valley, Calif., and a long-time supporter of the arts and arts education. Gina worked as a crisis prevention specialist in a day treatment elementary school and was a counselor/teacher in a non-public school for at-risk boys.
Steven M. Porter (SNB Board President/SNB CEO) is a long-time devotee of the arts. Originally from the East Coast, Steve was raised with love and devotion to all the arts.
Cathy Mercer (SNB Company Coordinator for Reno/Managing Director/Board Member) grew up in Carson City and is a former dancer with a long-time devotion to the art form.
Ananda Bena-Weber (Associate Director, Dance Artist/ Ballerina/Principal/Teacher) is a principal dancer and NY award-winning artist and the Associate Director of the Sierra Nevada Ballet and a founding member. She has danced professionally as a soloist with the Reno Ballet when it was formed in 1994/95 and 1996. She danced with Perspectives Dance Theatre and Fascinating Rhythm Productions. She has appeared as a featured soloist with Sam Weber performing in Morton Gould’s “Concerto for Tap Dancer and Orchestra” throughout the SF Bay Area. She has appeared in principal roles in several original dance works such as Take Me To The River and Blue Rondo, and classics such as Les Sylphides, Romeo and Juliet, and Paquita.
Rosine Bena (Founder and Artistic Director/Master Teacher)
Sophia Riella (Trainee) was born in Truckee, Calif. She started ballet at the age of two with Sherrie Petersen, Sierra Ballet School and continued there for six years while also studying Irish and Scottish Dance with Lindsey Marccaci in Lake Tahoe and at Truckee Dance Factory doing competition dance. She has also studied classical music, composing, and piano with Elaine Courtney and has studied voice with Stephanie McMoy.
Erin Garman (First Year Company) began dancing at the age of 12 at Scene Stealers Theatre Arts where she trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, musical theatre, and ballet. She later began training with Fascinating Rhythm School of Performing Arts where she continued training in many styles and at Sierra Nevada Ballet Academy where she first met Rosine Bena, and started getting more serious about ballet, also dancing with Spiral Ballet.
Maya Macias (Trainee) was born in Houston, Texas into a military family. While her family was stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, at age two and a half years old, Maya began studying dance at the Children’s Ballet Theater because she wanted to go to “ballerina school. “ Maya continued her ballet training at Space Coast Ballet and when she was six years old, she began performing with Space Coast Ballet in the Nutcracker.
Olivia Mann (SNB Summer Demi Soloist) began studying at the age of four at Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, and the Dallas Ballet Center and later trained at Booker T. Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts.
Heather Rodriguez (Trainee) started dancing at nine years old in Corpus Christi, Texas. She continued studying Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz throughout her childhood with Corpus Christi Concert Ballet.