It’s been more than 125 years since Bram Stoker introduced the iconic character of a noble, seductive vampire in his novel, “Dracula.” In the intervening decades, the depictions of vampires have ranged from sinister to silly.
So Dominic Walsh, the répétiteur who is staging Richmond Ballet’s production of the classic tale, has dozens of reference points he could bring to a company’s dancers to give them a sense of what he’s going for. His first choice isn’t a story about the blood-sucking Count at all.
“It’s going to sound funny,” says Walsh in between rehearsal sessions. “But I’m an ’80s kid and there’s a film from the ’80s called ‘The Hunger.’” The cult classic stars Catherine Denueve as a female vampire who ends up seducing a gerontologist played by Susan Saradon [David Bowie also plays a vampire cellist from 18th-century France].
“Particularly for the young women of the company playing the brides of Dracula, I encourage them to embody the grit and confidence and sensuality you see in the movie,” Walsh says. “So sometimes I’ll tell the dancers to watch ‘The Hunger.’”
Walsh certainly has the experience to know the appropriate recommendation to make: he was in the original company of this dance, choreographed by Ben Stevenson, OBE, when it premiered in 1997 at the Houston Ballet. Walsh worked in collaboration with Stevenson for years and has staged the choreographer’s celebrated “Dracula” for numerous companies across the country.
Walsh says that Stevenson, still active at 87 as artistic director laureate at Texas Ballet Theater, brings a rich understanding of storytelling to his work.
“His background was very unique in that he was not only a principal ballet dancer In England, but he also had a strong theater background; he did things like ‘Music Man’ in the West End,” Walsh explains. “So he brings a theatrical understanding of storytelling to classical ballet.”
The Richmond production, with accompaniment provided by the full Richmond Symphony performing a haunting score of works by Franz Liszt, will be a Virginia premiere of the dance. It’s also the first time it’s been staged with a reduced company: The original choreography calls for more than 50 dancers; this one will have 33.
But Walsh offers assurances that there is nothing “lesser than” about this production. With its extravagant costumes, explosive pyrotechnics and supernatural characters, he says the challenge in staging “Dracula” is maintaining balance between the classical and the contemporary.
“The dance has the structure of a classical ballet with three acts and a corps de ballet,” says Walsh. “At the same time, it’s a fantastical story that allows us to create something fresh and believable and a little bit frightening.”
Walsh says the show will not only take the audience on a satisfying theatrical journey but that the dancers performing it go on one as well. “With these characters, there’s the opportunity for a lot of development both within the ensemble and with the principal characters,” he says. “I often see dancers going quite far artistically with it.”
Khaiyom Khojaev is one of two dancers playing the title character and he knew nothing about Dracula before being selected for the role. Born in Tajikistan and raised primarily in Russia, he never saw any portrayals of the character.
“I wasn’t familiar with Dracula, honestly,” says Khojaev. “I learned about him by reading Stevenson’s libretto for the ballet, which is not the same as the original story.”
Among the changes from the novel, the ballet version of the story includes a prominent subplot involving an innkeeper’s daughter, Svetlana, and her suitor, Frederick. Still, Dracula remains a wicked and manipulating blood-sucker.
“I usually don’t get the chance to dance evil characters,” says Khojaev. “When playing a prince or some other romantic lead, it’s usually very structured. With ‘Dracula,’ there is more freedom in the movements and I can explore a different artistic side.”
That freedom puts the responsibility on Walsh to once again find balance. “Sometimes I have to shape what reads to the audience,” he says. “I have to find that balance of when Dracula is a savage beast and when he’s a nobleman who is charming someone. Some dancers are too subtle; others do too much and are too wild and I have rein them in a little.”
When talking about the technical elements of the production, Walsh sounds more like a fan than a seasoned dance professional.
“There’s some wonderful effects and there’s this phenomenal coach with two skeleton horses,” he says. “It’s so well engineered and very powerful and you’re in the audience thinking, ‘Whoa, what was that?’”
“Dracula” runs Feb. 16-18 at the Dominion Energy Center, 600 E. Grace St.. Tickets and information available at https://richmondballet.com/.
