Ballet Vero Beach, Vero’s own professional ballet company, has unveiled its diverse and exciting 2025-2026 performance season, which encompasses a wonderful blend of beloved classics, bold new works and the unforgettable signature artistry that Vero’s balletomanes have come to expect.
Introducing the season’s offerings, Adam Schnell, BVB artistic director and CEO, was proud that in just over 12 seasons, they have been able to establish a reputation that positions their organization right alongside Indian River County’s other cultural giants.
“As we enter each new season, it is truly thrilling to witness how we are able to partner with not only arts institutions like Riverside Theatre and the Vero Beach Museum of Art, but myriad social service nonprofits, to try and improve the lives of every citizen in our community,” said Schnell.
The season actually began in mid-November with “Reflections,” a collaboration with the Vero Beach Museum of Art, where the choreography was derived from “themes of identity and expression” from pieces in the museum’s exhibition, Double Portraits.
These two cultural entities have joined forces since 2014, which has had the added advantage of enabling BVB dancers to expand their expertise by choreographing immersive performing and visual art experiences.
“It’s evolved into something of a choreographic lab, allowing those dancers who aspire to become choreographers to experiment with it,” says Schnell.
“Nutcracker on the Indian River”
Dec. 11-12 at 7:30 p.m., and Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. at Riverside Theatre.
The delightful kick-off to Vero’s holiday season, this specially created Nutcracker version is now a beloved local tradition. Previously held at the Vero Beach High School, they are pleased to announce that this year it will take place at Riverside Theatre.
While this unique production retains all the whimsy and magic of Tchaikovsky’s original classical ballet, “Nutcracker on the Indian River” takes the action to our shores in 1919, the year Vero Beach was founded.
In this iteration, the heroine, Marie, and her family take a holiday trip by train from bustling New York City to Florida.
Rather than sugarplums and sweets, Marie is entertained in her dreams by seagulls, land crabs, manatees, river otters and dolphins and other wonderful flora and fauna along the Indian River Lagoon, irresistibly portrayed by company dancers and adorably enthusiastic local children.
Program 1: “All Rodriguez: The Trios”
Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m., and Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the VBHS Performing Arts Center.
The main performance season opens with a showcase of works choreographed by Camilo A. Rodriguez, BVB ballet master and principal dancer.
“They’re all featuring three dancers, and I thought it was an interesting way to see all the different directions that his mind goes,” says Schnell.
The program includes Rodriguez’s neoclassical Tunics and Tutus, the contemporary Sheer Vibration, and the wholly zany While There’s Still Music.
VBMA Spring Collaboration: “Made in America”
Feb. 28, 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Vero Beach Museum of Art Leonhardt Auditorium.
This Spring Collaboration with the VBMA invites the audience to celebrate the power of American creativity, with interpretative, original dance performances inspired by the museum’s exhibition, American Made: Painting and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection.
Program 2: “Composer’s Notebook: David Homan”
March 20 at 7:30 p.m., and March 21 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the VBHS Performing Arts Center.
“We have been working with David Homan, the composer, almost our entire history. ‘Ori,’ one of the works which uses his score, has become a signature work for our company,” says Schnell.
“He was also the one that we commissioned to take the original Igor Stravinsky score for ‘Firebird’ and modernize it to match the story line that we were working with. Since I always like to feature three of something and I wanted to work with him, I commissioned a work from him too. So all of the scores that are featured in the program were purpose-made for the choreographers.”
The program includes choreographer Ariel Grossman’s “Ori,” Rodriguez’s reimagined “Firebird” and “Ribbons,” a world premiere by Schnell.
Program 3: “Allusions and Allegories”
April 10 at 7:30 p.m., and April 11 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the VBHS Performing Arts Center.
Despite Schnell’s above-mentioned penchant for three works, this program features just two.
“I wanted to bring back the ‘West Side Story Suite,’ which we did two seasons ago, and which I felt was so good with storytelling but with allegory. But I wanted to pair it with a piece that Camillo did as part of an interpretive series at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, also two years ago, called ‘And So It Goes,’” says Schnell.
“The two works are really good at hinting at a lot without saying anything directly, hence the ‘Allusions and Allegories’ title.”
The program features the main stage debut with the full company of “And So It Goes” as well as the return of Yves de Bouteiller’s “West Side Story Suite.”
Program 4: Spring Flings
May 22 at 7:30 p.m. and May 23 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Riverside Theatre.
“In this one we have the original version of ‘Valse Fantaisie’ by George Balanchine. He did two; this is the earlier version. And that’s special because we had to be approved by the George Balanchine Trust, as with all the Balanchine works that we’ve done,” says Schnell, referencing the rigorous process in which companies must demonstrate their qualifications.
“That’s paired with a signature work of ours called ‘Caprice’ by Matthew Lovegood, and the company premiere of ‘ABBAsolutely’ that I choreographed, set to the music of ABBA. Together the three works embody youth, lightless and everything we would expect from a spring fling,” says Schnell.
In addition to its regular performances, BVB offers special hour-long, informal performances specifically geared to the needs of differently abled individuals and families with young children that feature modified audio/visual effects and venue setups.
Accessible/Family-Friendly Series
Nutcracker for All: Act I, 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and Act II, 12 p.m. Dec.14, both at Riverside Theatre.
The Four Seasons: 2 p.m. Jan. 18 at VBHS Performing Arts Center.
Firebird: 2 p.m. March 22 at VBHS Performing Arts Center.
The Sleeping Princess: 2 p.m. April 12 at VBHS Performing Arts Center.
Spring Flings: 2 p.m. May 24 at Riverside Theatre.
For more information, visit BalletVeroBeach.org.
Photos provided
