Nestled cozily within the artsy alleys of downtown Austin, you’ll find the Ventana Ballet rehearsing at First Street Studio. Nerd News Social had the wonderful opportunity to sit in on a rehearsal for their upcoming performance, UNDEAD – Haunted House of Dances.
The Ventana Ballet recently established itself on the Austin scene in 2018, with their break out show The Watchmaker’s Song. This immersive take on The Nutcracker was reimagined and directed by Dorothy O’Shea Overbey, the Artistic Advisor for the company. Hosted at the Neill-Cochran House Museum and featuring live jazz interpretations of the original score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the company captivated with their inventive style and interpretation. You can look forward to this show becoming an Austin holiday classic, as The Watchmaker’s Song will return this Christmas season.
We spoke with the director of the company, AJ Garcia-Rameau after the rehearsal for their upcoming show. She and the Ventana Ballet believe in making art accessible to all. Their mission statement is “to provide inspiration, accessibility, opportunity, and technical structure.” With each performance, they strive to draw in members of the public who may never have considered attending a ballet performance previously. Garcia-Rameau came together with other local dancers to put together the Ventana Ballet to present their contemporary works, bringing the next generation into ballet. The company also gives classes throughout the year, including their “It’s Not Too Late To Learn Ballet” adult beginner class. It is refreshing to find a company that is so eager to take on students at all levels.
UNDEAD – Haunted House of Dances promises to be a danse macabre. The show is directed and choreographed by Garcia-Rameau herself, and embraces a diverse cast. Expect a throng of wicked creatures to draw you into the thrilling tale with graceful menace. The morbid beauty presented by the dancers will terrify, and will unhinge your prior notions of ballet. Promising to be another immersive event, the performance is an adults only show. Doors open at 7:00pm, with the show beginning at 8:00pm. Tickets are available for 10/25/19 and 10/26/19 Here!
As part of their outreach to the local community, the Ventana Ballet is collaborating with We Are Blood for their Vampire Blood Drive from 09/23/19 to 10/23/19. If you’d like to donate, schedule your appointment Here. Be sure to mention the Ventana Ballet to receive a free t-shirt at the UNDEAD – Haunted House of Dances performance.
The performance will be housed at the Spiderhouse Ballroom, which has established itself as a well known must see attraction in the Austin area. The Spiderhouse Ballroom calls itself a “small carnival village,” and features two outdoor patios, their outdoor tented “Chapel,” tattoo shop, indoor bar and cafe, food trucks, and 2 indoor stages in their ballroom. This makes it the perfect venue for the contemporary ballet that will be brought to the Ballroom this Halloween season. You can find out more about the Spiderhouse Ballroom at their Website.
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