The Ultimate Love Story
You know the Story, You love the Romance, Now Experience the Ultimate Love Story Onstage.
Inside Andrea Schermoly's Romeo and Juliet
About the Choreographer
South African born Andrea Schermoly is an internationally recognized choreographer. She is currently the Resident Choreographer of Louisville Ballet, with works created for companies including Royal New Zealand Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Met.
Her full-length Romeo and Juliet for Royal New Zealand Ballet—later staged at West Australian Ballet where she won the Performing Arts Award for Best Mainstage Production.
Pointeworks is thrilled to present her stunning Romeo and Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux as part of Pointeworks' Nocturnes.
Not Just Another Love Story
When asked why she was inspired to choreograph a new Romeo and Juliet on the Nine To Noon podcast in 2023, Schermoly insisted that the Shakespearian tale resonates as powerfully with this generation now, as it has with every audience in the past.
"You don't have to reinvent the wheel on Romeo and Juliet... It's reigniting what feels like euphoric love and why that is transcendent and why that still feels good to people.”
Schermoly was heavily influenced by Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Romeo + Juliet film and takes inspiration from how it tells a classic story with a modern twist.
"My overriding wish is for the story to be very visceral... The type of movement language I have is classical (ballet), but it's also got a contemporary feel to it... which feels very relatable."
A Letter from Juliet
For many ballerinas, Juliet is a dream role — one filled with passion, vulnerability, and emotional depth. In ballet, dancers rarely choose the roles they perform, which makes opportunities like this especially meaningful.
This summer, Rayleigh Vendt will step into the role of Juliet for the first time as part of Pointeworks’ Nocturnes.
“Juliet has always been a role I’ve dreamed of dancing,” Rayleigh shares. "The pure excitement and giddiness you feel in a first love is a universal experience, conveying that emotion to the audience though Juliet is incredibly special.
Andie Schermoly's version of Juliet is aware that she doesn't get any say in her life, so when she does fall in love, she dives in completely because it is one thing she can choose to experience.
“I am excited to begin rehearsing for this role with Andie herself in a few weeks, and the brand new costumes by Katy Freeman are going to be stunning! I am also beyond grateful to my artistic director, Sophie Williams, for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to explore becoming Juliet."
At Pointeworks, dancers are part of the artistic conversation — their voices, ideas, and dreams truly matter.
Experience the Northern Hemisphere premiere of Andrea Schermoly’s Romeo and Juliet pas de deux onstage June 13 at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center.
This work has been generously underwritten and made possible through the support of Mario and Anna Scipione.