Sierra Nevada Ballet Presents an Exciting Summer Season

Published June 19, 2026

Sierra Nevada Ballet Presents an Exciting Summer Season

I love the summer in Reno. The weather is beautiful and the arts flourish.

Sierra Nevada Ballet joins in the summer festivities to present two different exciting programs as part of the Artown 2026 Festival in Reno.

On July 5 at 8pm, SNB presents DANCING AT BARTLEY, a free concert at Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch featuring a mixed repertoire of music and dance with the SNB company (including the ballet of Peter and The Wolf) and several guest artists: the fabulous international tap star Sam Weber and wonderful singer Cami Thompson with some talented musicians from the community.

On July 25 and 27 and again on August 1, SNB will present the popular full-length comic story ballet Coppélia at the Pioneer Center in Reno; at the Amphitheater at Sand Harbor on Lake Tahoe, and at the Carson City Community Center in Carson City.

Coppélia is a love story of sneakery, imaginary magic, and drifting love with roots in reality as well as fantasy. It tests the relationship of the heroine, Swanhilda, and the hero, Franz, through a series of comic mishaps involving a beautiful lifeless doll created by the eccentric Dr. Coppélius. The quiet, mechanical beauty of the doll interests Franz (who believes she is a real woman) whose personality is in sharp contrast to the feisty, charming, spitfire liveliness of his fiancée, Swanhilda.

This popular ballet was first performed in 1870 with choreography by Arthur Saint-Leon and is one of the earliest ballets, if not the earliest, that features a doll coming to life as an important part of the story.

Coppélia’s heroine will be danced by SNB popular principal female dancer Sara Weir and its hero by SNB guest artist Max Berg.

Max Berg is presently with the Sarasota Ballet and has performed leading roles including Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake and the Cavalier in The Nutcracker. His contemporary repertoire includes a number of wonderful works including Echad Mi Yodea by Ohad Naharin, Bolero by Shahar Binyamini, and Rossini Cards by Mauro Bigonzetti, which he has performed internationally.

Max has earned recognition at several of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions. He is a two-time Prix de Lausanne candidate, a YAGP Finalist, a USA International Ballet Competition (USA IBC) Semi-Finalist, and a South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) Gold Medalist. Known for his strong classical technique, expressive artistry, and versatility across both classical and contemporary styles, Max shared: “I am excited and so looking forward to dancing Coppélia with SNB this summer.”

Other guest performers include Micheal Bushman and Astrid Arvelo.

Micheal Bushman is an award-winning professional dancer who was trained in both ballet and ballroom. He has danced professionally with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, and the Diablo Ballet. His repertoire includes such works as Balanchine’s Divertimento No 15, Serenade, Donizetti Variations, Who Cares? and The Nutcracker; the lead role of Beast and Prince in Bruce Wells’ Beauty; 4 in the Morning by Val Caniparoli; The Firebird and Alice in Wonderland by Brian Enos, and John Cranko's Onegin among many others. Micheal performed with SNB at the 2025 SF Dance Festival in the role of The Sea Captain in Ananda Bena-Weber’s 12^th Night – A Ballet Noir.

Ananda Bena-Weber is the Co-Artistic Director of SNB and the Co-Choreographer of Coppélia and told me: “I am really excited that Micheal will be part of our production this year. He is a wonderful dancer and a real pleasure to work with. He will be a great addition to our company.”

Astrid Arvelo was born in Venezuela and danced with the Nuevo Mundo Ballet in Caracas, with the Teresa Carreño Ballet, performing solo and principal roles in Coppélia, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Flames of Paris, Spartacus, Paquita, and Giselle, among others. She was a silver medalist in the 2018 International Ballet Competition USA and has performed in the US with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, Peninsula Ballet Theater, Western Ballet, and the Diablo Ballet.

Astrid auditioned by video for a soloist role in SNB’s Coppélia. Ananda Bena-Weber summed our impression of her best: “Astrid is just beautiful.”

I am really looking forward to working with all of our talented dancers and guest artists. It is going to be a very exciting summer of performances for Sierra Nevada Ballet! Do not miss it!

For SNB ticket information or information about performances or information about the Sierra Nevada Academy call 775-360-8663 or visit sierranevadaballet.org.