Sarasota Ballet Company, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

At the end of a particularly trying section of a ballet, when a dancer has leaped and spun and leaped again until their legs and arms burn with the effort, a certain energy builds between themselves and the audience. They have given the audience their energy in a very real sense, and the audience awaits the final maneuver that signals it is now their time to return that energy with applause. But with nobody in the seats, recently promoted dancers in the Sarasota Ballet, Lauren Ostrander and Janae Korte, must make do.

The two coryphées had not performed in 7 months, and a triumphant return to the stage was tempered by the newness of the virtual production experience. “You kinda miss that applause when you finish a variation,” says Korte, who, along with Ostrander, performed in excerpts from the work of George Balanchine for Sarasota Ballet’s Digital Program 2. Ostrander seconds that sentiment, but adds, “you still got a little bit of that magic.” 

But if the production was an exercise in making do, it was not without its undeniable advantages. “A mirror is very one-dimensional,” says Ostrander, “but seeing yourself on film is such a valuable teaching tool.” The dancers were able to get new perspectives on their technique and the nuances of their performance, notes they can take with them onto the practice floor. With the convenience of the virtual stream, the dancers also reached audiences that otherwise don’t get an opportunity to watch them dance. “My fiancé was living in Switzerland and was able to see me perform,” says Ostrander, “I actually FaceTimed him while he was watching it, so it was cool to see his reaction and get real-time feedback.”

That outreach helped the digital program find viewers in other countries as well. “We sold tickets in Australia, Finland, Italy, Japan,” says marketing director Jason Ettore, “and we had viewers from 26 different states.” It helped make the company’s efforts worth it. “We thought it would be easier to produce these programs,” says Ettore, “but it’s actually more complicated. So, to get that viewership was really exciting.”

The digital programs also come with bonus features that let viewers in on some behind-the-scenes commentary from dancers and director Iain Webb. Korte and Ostrander got a chance to talk about their experience with being promoted to coryphées, what it was like dancing in front of a camera instead of an audience, and what it meant to them to be on stage after so long. “Ultimately, any moment on stage is what we love,” says Ostrander, “so it was just a gift.” A silver lining tempers Korte’s experience as well—“filming this has been a treat, but we’re so excited to have an audience again soon and have that energy when we finish dancing.”

The company’s Digital Program 3 opens January 1st, with arrangements and excerpts from Peter Darrell’s “Othello,” Christopher Wheeldon’s “The American,” and others. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, December 22nd. Ticket holders will receive a link to view the program and its accompanying materials via email.

Sarasota Ballet Company, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

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