Dracula

Words by Amiyah Golden

As we close out another spooky season, we can’t do so without acknowledging the recent production of Roberto Forleo’s “Dracula” performed by the Florida Ballet and featuring the Jacksonville Symphony. With opening night falling on Friday the 13th, it was the perfect added detail to a beautiful night of unique storytelling through pointe shoes, extravagant costumes and live music provided by the Jacksonville Symphony, led by conductor Kevin Fitzgerald.

The dancing and music came together cohesively to tell Forleo’s unique adaptation of a tale as old as time and also to move fans to see beyond the fear and horror we automatically associate with ancient vampire lore and point attendees to engage in a deeper plot.

As I sat down in the red seats at the Moran Theatre, I took a moment to clear my mind of even prior lore that subjugated my imagination and remembered that I was here with little to no expectations — I had honestly never read the book, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The Dracula name is so infamous but, my knowledge was so limited to the select movie adaptations, such as “Hotel Transylvania” and the annual “America’s Top 10 Halloween Costumes” articles where Dracula always seemed to be listed in the top three. I was bound to the gimmicky personas that Dracula’s story had often been reduced to and wasn’t aware the original story was written in the inspiration of love and tragedy by the original author, Abraham Stoker, best known as Bram Stoker.  

As a former dancer, I was ready to engage in constructive criticism and not necessarily on technique: This was The Florida Ballet. These are dancers who have trained their whole lives to be a part of a company that includes some of the best from all over the world. I knew toes would be pointed and limbs elongated, but I was ready to see how they would be able to convey this story. I didn’t know it in detail. (I just knew a vampire was at the center of this whole tale.) 

Many trained dancers can do 12 pirouettes in a row and a grand jete across the stage, but dance is so much more than that. When you’re capable of translating such a dramatic story to someone in the audience who may not be familiar with it, that is an entirely different level of dance.

With simple stage props to support each act but not overwhelming enough to cause distraction, the focus remained on the dancers and their chemistry, which exuded beyond the stage and landed in our very laps. Although I sat on the balcony, there was never a disconnect for me.

What made this ballet stand out from other renditions of this tale was Forleo’s interpretive focus. He could’ve easily told the story from the same stale perspective — focusing on terror and death — and although both were still very present, they weren’t overdone, making it appropriate for both children and adults alike. 

There would be no Dracula without violence and power: This is who he is. But Forleo allowed us to catch a glimpse into some moments of empathy and caring from the “monster.”

I was able to talk with Forleo prior to the performance and pick his brain about his creative process for creating the show. Forleo touched on his personal convictions in telling the story, his inspirations and his standouts. With a long career in the ballet world, Forleo is not new to the art of movement. After taking over as creative director of The Florida Ballet in 2020, he has reimagined and awakened the whimsy in performance art, which not only supports aesthetics but also fosters an array of emotions from spectators. 

For years I have heard so much griping regarding the art community in Jacksonville. That it’s “dead” and “non-existent,” but there is so much life being breathed back into such a vast collective of creatives within our own city. It’s always been here, and it’s time we acknowledge the beautiful productions, shows, and stories being curated by people like Forleo, whose goal is to bridge the gap between arts and the people by bringing performances back into accessible spaces. 

For those of you who missed Roberto Forleo’s “Dracula,” don’t fret! It is only one of the many performances that The Florida Ballet has coming this 2023-2024 season! Their next production is the holiday classic “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 9-10 at Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park, followed by three days of performances at the UNF Fine Arts Center, Dec. 15-17. 

There is no better way to spend the holidays than enjoying the beautiful dancers who train so hard to give us an immersive experience with the ones we love.

Make sure to check out floridaballet.org for their upcoming schedule.