AUSTIN, Texas — This Halloween season, it’s not the Monster Mash you’ll be dancing to — Ventana Ballet is back with its spine-tingling, spellbinding production of “UNDEAD”, now in its 7th haunting year.
Artistic Director A-J Garcia-Rameau joined We Are Austin’s Trevor Scott and Sierra Waggoner to give a sneak peek into the immersive, Halloween-themed dance experience that’s anything but traditional. From vampires to witches and all things eerie, UNDEAD transforms classical ballet into a chilling spectacle of movement and mystery.
“Ventana Ballet is a small contemporary ballet company based here in Austin, Texas, and we’re proud to feature a wide range of local artists. This year’s production of UNDEAD includes dancers from all kinds of backgrounds—ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary—and yes, our favorite drag queen is back, which I’m very excited about!
Audiences can expect a high-energy, immersive performance set inside a haunted house of dances — where the dancers are as haunting as the setting.
The show takes the audience on a journey through the ‘Undead Woods.’ It begins in a haunted hallway, where guests creep into the space with spooky cocktails in hand. From there, a witch guides you through the performance. We’ve got hand scares, spooks, and some adult humor—it’s definitely an adults-only show!
We’re bringing in a mix of movement styles, too. Our ‘bats’ are performing a routine that blends Horton technique and jazz, while the undead brides dance on pointe. Of course, our drag queen has a few surprise acts this year, and we’ve even got a werewolf doing some amazing acrobatic work. The whole production is spooky, beautiful, and unlike anything else you’ll see this Halloween season. We’ve got eight performances coming up, and we can’t wait to share them with Austin.”
UNDEAD is running for a limited time this Halloween season, and each show promises a unique, up-close experience. With an unconventional format and intimate venue, Ventana Ballet invites audiences to step into the story — and maybe even be part of the scare.
And there’s more magic on the horizon. This December, Ventana Ballet is planning a major surprise for the holiday season, promising to bring a new twist to a beloved tradition!
What’s next? Well, we have a surprise this December—we’re doing something completely new! We’re not doing The Nutcracker. Instead, we’ve created an original holiday show that includes penguins, a witch trying to melt Christmas, and lots of fun, family-friendly moments.
We’ll even have a dedicated kids’ show for audiences ten and under, which will be interactive. Kids will get to make snowflakes and be part of the story. For the main performances, it’s still family-friendly and blends the magic of Disney with the spooky charm of The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s going to be so much fun!”
To learn more or grab tickets before they vanish, visit www.ventanaballet.com