Erica and Oliver Adams as Sugar Plum and Cavalier in The Nutcracker.
Belinda Grant/Special to the R-C
The same ballet company responsible for the “Nutcracker” in Carson City is emerging into a pre-professional program for aspiring ballet dancers and choreographers.
Dance Workshop owners Oliver and Erica Adams became the artistic directors of Pinkerton Ballet Theatre in 2021. Now known as the Nevada Dance Company, the nonprofit organization has been a staple performing arts program in Northern Nevada for more than 30 years, performing in Douglas County, Carson City and Reno, most famously for the seasonal classic the “Nutcracker.”
“Upon taking the position of Artistic Directors, we decided we wanted to expand the company to be more than just a seasonal performing arts program,” said Erica.
Since then, the Adams have taken steps to become a full-time professional company that provides a pre-professional program for young, aspiring ballet dancers and choreographers, “something this Valley and Carson City does not currently have,” said Erica.
They started with changing the name from Pinkerton Ballet to Nevada Dance Company which is now an extension of the Dance Workshop studio located in Minden. Since then, Erica said the company was invited to be a part of Regional Dance America and selected to perform at the Dog Days of Summer Festival Aug. 20 in Reno.
“It’s about getting their names out there and exposed to the dance world,” said Erica.
The Nevada Dance Company runs out of the Dance Workshop in Minden and is accepting dancers interested in expanding into the preprofessional world of dance.
“Nevada Dance Company runs out of Dance Workshop, but is a separate entity,” she said. “Dance Workshop is for what we call recreational dancers for those who want to learn and improve dance skills through various types of dances, where the Nevada Dance Company really hones in on ballet and being part of a professional world in a preprofessional setting.”
Erica said she and Oliver wanted to bring the same professional experience they had to the Northern Nevada region.
Oliver is a professional dancer from England where he performed with professional ballet companies all over Europe and in the United States. He has worked with world renown choreographers and has, himself, choregraphed at many dance schools and professional ballet companies throughout the West Coast.
Erica is a Gardnerville native. At 14-years-old she began training at a full-time ballet conservatory in Florida and went on to dance professionally, touring nationally and internationally.
After the two married, they moved back to the Carson Valley in 2018, took ownership of the Dance Workshop and became the Artistic Directors for the Nevada Dance Company. Since then, they’re expanding and projecting their love for dance to the Valley.
“One of my main motives for wanting to start this pre-professional ballet company is to offer students an opportunity to get professional training as well as performing opportunities so they don’t have to leave like I did at such a young age to get proper pre-professional ballet training,” said Erica.
Dancers and choreographers interested in the pre-professional dance program, have a chance to audition 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Dance Workshop. To be considered for the pre-professional company dancers must be at least 12 years old and take a minimum of two ballet classes at their current studio.
The annual Nutcracker auditions will also be held 10a.m-1:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Dance Workshop. Anyone five and older can audition for the Nutcracker and any student from a dance studio in the Northern Nevada region is welcome to audition.
Dance Workshop is located at 1697 County Road, Minden.
For more information email info@Nevada
dancecompany.com
