There’s a chill in the air, pumpkins on every doorstep, and ghosts, monsters, and vampires everywhere—including onstage. Here are a few of the otherworldly ballets onstage this October to get you in the Halloween spirit.Â
A Spooky Ballet Classic
While the Romantic ballet Giselle—with its ghostly Wilis—is performed all year round, you can catch it this October at Tulsa Ballet. It’s a tale of heartbreak, betrayal, and revenge, complete with a mad scene, haunted woods, and untimely deaths.Â
Murder Mysteries
So many of us enjoy a good mystery. For fans of the noir, Agatha Christie, and The Thursday Murder Club, make sure you catch Penny Saunders’ Sherlock at Ballet Idaho or Grand Rapids Ballet. This cinematic co-production will immerse you in the world of the iconic detective, the mind of his creator Arthur Conan Doyle, and the 1940s nostalgia of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes radio recordings.
Or if true crime podcasts are more your thing, get your tickets for Philadelphia Ballet’s Evening of Horror, featuring Agnes de Mille’s Fall River Legend—based on the true tale of Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted for the murder of her father and stepmother in 1892.
See Sherlock at Ballet Idaho Oct 10–12 or Grand Rapids Ballet Oct 24–26 >>
Philadelphia Ballet performs Evening of Horror Oct 16–19 >>
Beloved Fictional Monsters
It wouldn’t be Spooky Season without our two favorite monsters of book, stage, and screen: Frankenstein and Dracula. San Francisco Ballet brings its critically acclaimed Frankenstein to Costa Mesa, CA, while Colorado Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Cleveland Ballet are bringing everyone’s favorite centuries-old vampire, Dracula, to town.
San Francisco Ballet performs Frankenstein Oct 2–5 >>
See Dracula at Colorado Ballet Oct 3–12, Oregon Ballet Theatre Oct 10–18, or Cleveland Ballet Oct 24 & 25 >>Â
Deadly Sins
For a different twist on the season, explore the darker, more complex side of human nature with The Seven Deadly Sins, a new full-length work at Carolina Ballet, featuring an original score by Aaron Severini and choreography by Artistic Director Zalman Raffael.
Carolina Ballet performs The Seven Deadly Sins Oct 16–Nov 2 >>
Other Thrilling Ballets
Portland’s BodyVox resurrects the spirit of All Hallows Eve with the return of BloodyVox, an eerie, multi-sensory experience. Dance, film, sound, and light—plus a dash of whimsy and bucketful of comedy—make this a delightful nightmare that is not to be missed.
Or if you want a bit of a party, head along to New Ballet’s Halloween Gala & Dance Party, a magical evening that begins with a season preview performance and ends with a dance party and costume contest.
BodyVox performs BloodyVox Oct 29 & 30 >>
New Ballet’s Halloween Gala & Dance Party is on Oct 25 >>
Enjoy a Spooky Spring
If you wish Spooky Season was all year round, get a dose of scary thrills this spring at Ballet West with a family-friendly version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Penny Saunders’ Sherlock at Nashville Ballet, or Ballet Austin with Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles. This world-premiere ballet combines the tragic story of French Queen Marie Antoinette with the supernatural. Inspired by history, Macbeth, and Interview with the Vampire, it promises a story filled with deadly desire, betrayal, and insatiable thirst.
And mark your calendars for May 26–June 28, when a new musical adaptation of the iconic psychological thriller Black Swan takes the stage at American Repertory Theater, with a score by Obie Award winner Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812) and choreography by Sonya Tayeh.Â
Ballet West performs The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Mar 27 & 28 >>
Nashville Ballet performs Sherlock May 1–3 >>
Ballet Austin performs Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles Mar 27–29 >>
Featured Image: Ballet Idaho Principal Dancer Elizabeth Kanning. Photo by Quinn Wharton.
Giselle Image: Principal Dancers Nao Ota and Jun Masuda in Giselle. Photo by Kate Luber.
Sherlock Image: Ballet Idaho Principal Dancer Graham Gobeille. Photo by Quinn Wharton.
Dracula Image: Christopher Kaiser and Eva Burton in Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Dracula. Photo by Jingzi Zhao.
Deadly Sins Image: Photo Courtesy of Carolina Ballet.
BloodyVox Image: Image Courtesy of BodyVox.
Marie Antoinette Image: Image Courtesy of Ballet Austin.
