Dance Reviews

May 11, 2006 - Sierra Nevada Ballet's "It's Romantic, " a splendid program of exhilarating dance

By Jack Neal

At long last, a truly professional dance company is emerging in the Reno metropolitan area. Choreographer, entrepeneur, former dancer and now artistic director Rosine Bena is the talent that's making this wonderful explosion of dance art blossom.

Her company, Sierra Nevada Ballet, performed a dance program called "It's Romantic" Saturday night (5/4/06) and Sunday afternoon at Reno's Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. It was a first-rate dance event put on by exceptional dancers given exciting things to do.

Eclectic presentations are usually crowd pleasers and this was no exception. "It's Romantic" opened with "Gershwin Concerto," an electrifying series of three dances - Gershwin Allegro, Gershwin Prelude, Gershwin Allegro Agitato - that set a very high bar for everything that was to follow. The program ended with "Paging Mr. Stair," a glittering tribute to movie musicals starring tap dancer extraordinaire and an SNB permanent guest artist, Sam Weber. Sandwiched rapturously in between was a haunting version of Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet" with the lyric Domingo Rubio as Romeo and the enchanting Ananda Bena-Weber as Juliet

The Gershwin, much if it looking like the 1951 Academy Award winning "An American in Paris " directed by Vincent Minnelli and choreographed by and starring Gene Kelly, sparkled every step of the way. Bena shared choreography assignments with Domingo Rubio, another of the company's permanent guest artists. The dancing, danced for the most part by fresh young dancers, was clean and exacting. That's a major advantage of a dance company in the provinces. We get to see hungry young dancers on the way up blazing a name for themselves, rather than yesteryear dancers on the way down. The chic costumes and radiant lighting were as fresh and colorful as the dancers.

Moving in the opposite direction, "Romeo and Juliet " was dark and foreboding, except for those luscious excursions into young love so hypnotically embraced by Tchaikovsky's ultra romantic score. Igor Youskevitch's dramatic choreography was set by Rosine Bena and it was luminous and moving. Domingo Rubio (Romeo) and Ananda Bena-Weber (Juliet) more than hold their own as the star-crossed lovers fate and family destroy. Their dancing was understated and touching.

"Paging Mr. Stair" took pages directly from "Born to Dance." Busby Berkeley, and - of course - the uncomparable screen dancing duo, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The music was a collage of music from Fred Astaire musicals. The "gotta dance, gotta sing " ambiance of "Paging Mr. Stair " is what this splendid evening of dance was about, and "Paging Mr. Stair" was socko tap-dance close to an exhilarating evening of dance. Sam Weber is the company's Mr. Stair and he's a tap dance virtuoso. He's also a splendid ballroom dancer. He and his lovely partner, Larissa Cassera were simply entrancing when they emoted together through music and dance.

Rosine Bena and her exciting young troupe are most impressive. Hopefully the public will realize what it has in its own backyard and throw its support behind the Sierra Nevada Ballet's class act. SNB and its grand cast of dancers are terrific.

The Sierra Nevada Ballet can be seen in Reno's Wingfield Park July 4 (2006) ("Dancing by the River II" ), Reno's Hawkins Amphitheater July 7 ("Blues and Ballet"), Carson City's Brewery Arts Center July 8 ("Blues and Ballet" ), and Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor August 25 and 27 (A Celebtration of Genius - From Mozart to Lennon). For information go on line at sierranevadaballet.com, or call 775-783 3223.