Ballet West Principal Artists Share Their Romeo & Juliet Journey

Trust, Technique, and Tragedy

For Ballet West Principal Artists Jenna Rae Herrera and David Huffmire, Michael Smuin's Romeo & Juliet represents both familiar territory and exciting new challenges. Herrera returns to her role as Juliet after performing it four years ago, while Huffmire makes his debut as Romeo, having previously danced other leading roles in the production.

The Art of Storytelling Without Words

"That's what makes dancing and ballet so challenging," Herrera explains. "How are you supposed to tell a story without words? But that's where our artistry and acting gets to come into the spotlight through gestures and pantomime."

Principal Artist Jenna Rae Herrera and Soloist Dominic Ballard in Romeo & Juliet | Photo by Beau Pearson

Both dancers emphasize how Smuin's genius lies in the marriage of music and choreography. "I think there's so much genius in his storytelling where the music with the choreography really comes together to tell this story without words," says Herrera.

Huffmire agrees that music plays a key role in the storytelling. "The music dictates the emotional value of each scene,” Huffmire says. “Most humans can hear a minor chord versus a major chord and understand what that is trying to evoke."

The Famous Balcony Scene

Ask any ballet lover about Romeo & Juliet and they'll mention the balcony scene, which entails the pas de deux at the end of Act I.

"You can't beat that iconic balcony scene," Herrera said. "It's probably one of my favorite parts in this whole ballet. You have a very quick costume change out of ballroom into your balcony costume on the side of the stage, and you're trying to be very calm. Then that music starts, and you just enter another world, which is really magical."

Principal Artists Jenna Rae Herrera & Jordan Veit in Romeo & Juliet | Photo by Beau Pearson

The technical challenges are as demanding as the emotional ones. "First, you don't want to fall off the stairs," Herrera laughs. "You're not really supposed to look at the ground, so you want to try and keep your eyesight on Romeo, but then also not fall."

For Huffmire, the balcony scene represents "a moment of connection on stage that is rare. Not a lot of people get to experience that moment. But then on top of that, it's an opportunity to showcase everything you've worked on and the high level of technique that you're at,” he explains.

Mastering Smuin's Sword Fighting

One of the most distinctive elements of Smuin's choreography is the detailed sword fighting that weaves throughout the ballet.

Principal Artists Adrian Fry & David Huffmire in Romeo & Juliet | Photo by Beau Pearson

"The fencing is extremely intricate," Huffmire explains. "Not only is it intricate, but it's performed at a brisk tempo that takes everybody involved in the fencing months to learn. We start out at a very slow tempo and work our way up to a quick tempo."

Romeo's Emotional Journey

For Huffmire, one of the most compelling aspects of playing Romeo is the character's transformation throughout the story.

"Romeo is a composed, calm individual that does not like to fight," he explains. "He'll fight, but mostly to defend himself. But by the time he gets to that point in the story where Mercutio is killed, he's seething and ready to do whatever he needs to do."

This emotional range, as he explains, “from anger to sadness to being appalled at what you've just done," provides a depth to his character portrayal on stage.

The Power of Partnership

Both artists emphasize that the success of their Romeo and Juliet depends heavily on the trust and friendship they build offstage.

"I think it's really important because if you're not close to one another in the studio, how are you supposed to create that story on stage?" Herrera says. "I really like being friends with my partner because it makes it a little bit less scary out there and easier to show your vulnerability in those moments."

Huffmire elaborates on the practical aspects of this trust. "The closer the connection is between two individuals, the easier it is when something goes wrong” explains Huffmire. “

Principal Artists Jenna Rae Herrera & David Huffmire in Stars and Stripes © The George Balanchine Trust | Photo by Beau Pearson

The physical demands of partnering require absolute faith between dancers. "Most of the time, the trust that the girl has to have in the guy is on a different level because he's throwing her into the air," Huffmire notes. "Jenna really has a knack for that. She's fearless."

Staying Present in Performance

When asked about her mindset during challenging moments like lifts, Herrera's advice is simple. "Mostly I'm just trying to stay calm and breathe. Stay consistent and try not to throw any wild cards at my partner. The biggest thing is to just not get in your head too much and be present."

This philosophy extends to the entire performance. "Some of those big lift things can be tricky, and if you get in your head and think about that too much, then that might not work out so well as opposed to just being calm and trusting your partner."

Their partnership, built on mutual respect, friendship, and countless hours of preparation, promises to bring both technical excellence and emotional authenticity to one of ballet's greatest love stories.

Principal Artists Jenna Rae Herrera & Jordan Veit in Andromeda | Photo by Beau Pearson