Review: Ghostly ballerinas moved weightlessly and zombies scared from the aisles at Ballet Des Moines’ season opener

Ballet Des Moines welcomed a crowd of spooky season enthusiasts to Hoyt Sherman Place with their haunting season debut, Ghost Stories. Clearly audiences were ready to celebrate the macabre the week before Halloween, and Ballet Des Moines delivered with a spirited evening of poignant tales told through dance.

The ghostly vibes began well before the curtain rose. Ambient sounds of ravens cawing filled the theater. Eager listeners gathered around a campfire as the narrator, Billy Weathers, welcomed the audience with a story.

The storyteller provided an eerie introduction to each ballet, sharing background information and reading excerpts that inspired the choreography. Weathers’ deep voice was well suited for the ghostly premise, but his words were difficult to understand at times, an issue that could have been remedied with crisper enunciation and adjustments to the sound system. Weathers carried a large book with him throughout the evening, and while I understood the necessity of this tome, I felt his gaze rarely left its pages. The audience yearned for occasional eye contact and to build a deeper connection with the storyteller. Despite these minor concerns, the framing device was a refreshing way to engage the audience as the evening progressed.

The performance opened with the world premiere of Nevermore. Ballet Des Moines’ resident choreographer Tom Mattingly teamed up with composer Beau Kenyon to create an abstract ballet inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe. The visual productions captured the morbid beauty of the author’s oeuvre. A large sculpture of aluminum mesh, designed by creative director Jami Milne, hung above the dancers as smoke lingered at their feet. Sam Stephen’s lighting design starkly illuminated the dancers against a backdrop of shadows.

Kenyon’s music aptly reflected the many manifestations of grief, fluctuating from slow and somber to a harried heartbeat. In the recorded track, baritone Nicolás Lartaun-Oyarzun sang “Victoria” repeatedly until the name lost all meaning, capturing the anguished fixation over a loved one lost. Gwladys Rabardy recited portions of a French translation of “The Raven,” however, the narration was difficult to understand, coming across as whimpers and hisses rather than distinct words.

Mattingly’s choreography complemented Kenyon’s score well. The dancers seemed ephemeral, gliding across the stage in slow controlled movements. Mattingly conjured striking visuals with his clever use of innovative partner work, a staple of the choreographer’s style that gave the dancers opportunities to demonstrate their strength and artistry. While the allusions to Poe were on the subtle side, I must commend Mattingly and Kenyon on their captivating collaboration. The world needs more spooky ballets, and they undoubtedly delivered. 

The literary theme continued with the program’s second ballet, Ghost Ballads. Choreographer Adriana Pierce took inspiration from the pre-Romantic era “Graveyard Poets,” and the stage was appropriately transformed. Ragged strands of fabric hung from branches, casting morbid shadows. The dancers were clad in gray garb, designed by Sarah Dornick. These ghosts became kneeling human gravestones at the beginning and end of the ballet, blending into their grim, foggy surroundings.

The Belin Quartet played Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 11, Op. 122 from the balcony, and as always, the power of live music paired with live dance was palpable. Fluctuating from morbid tension to charming dissonance, Shostakovich’s music evolved as the dancers flopped their limbs like rag-doll corpses or stared menacingly into a beckoning light.

Pierce’s choreography conveyed many perspectives on death. Whether a playful danse macabre between spirits or a grief-stricken duet between a widow and her lost beloved, death was inescapable but hardly hopeless.

The thrills didn’t stop at intermission. As the audience settled into their seats for the second half of the program, a horde of zombies prowled the aisles, launching into an impromptu performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The young dancers from Dance Vision are staples of the Sherman Hill neighborhood’s Halloween on the Hill celebration, and given their infectious energy, it was easy to see why. These dancing zombies delivered the scariest performance of the evening, eliciting genuine screams as they lunged at unsuspecting audience members. Truly a fun and frightening surprise that set the tone for the finale that followed.

The final offering of the evening featured excerpts from the second act of the beloved ballet Giselle. The heroine of this tragic tale goes mad in the first half of the ballet, only to be resurrected as a ghost who still protects the man who deceived her. The performance opened with the Wilis, vengeful spirits of jilted brides. Amelia Grubb Hillman led this ghostly girl squad as Myrtha, commanding the stage with merciless precision. The full ensemble of the Wilis were a sight to behold, draped in spectral veils and white tutus designed by Sarah Dornick.

After two contemporary ballets, it was fun to see the dancers showcase more traditional techniques, especially in a large ensemble. Rune Houchin displayed tenderness and athleticism as Albrecht, Giselle’s mournful lover. Chiyo Nishida was buoyant and ethereal as Giselle, conveying both fragility and strength when facing her fate. Nishida and Houchin’s partner work was seamless, and each lift in their pas de deux created the illusion that Nishida was as weightless as a spirit, floating in Houchin’s arms until she returned to her grave for good.

This tragic ending was further enhanced by an unexpected addition to the cast. Just as Giselle vanished, a real bat flew out from behind the curtain and into the balcony above the audience. I must commend the flying rodent on its impeccable dramatic timing. Despite this final spooky surprise, the evening ended on a hopeful note. Love persists even after death.

Ballet Des Moines’ season opener was a macabre delight, full of fun and frightening surprises. Audiences crave a little darkness this time of year, and the ballet company supplied an evening of ghostly ballet that will haunt my memories for many moonlit nights to come.

Ballet Des Moines’ next performance will also be a holiday affair, as they will present their version of The Nutcracker to Hoyt Sherman Place in early December.