Cape Town City Ballet sinks its teeth into Gothic brilliance.
When the curtain rises on Dracula, presented by Cape Town City Ballet, the audience is immediately pulled into a dark, hypnotic world where beauty and horror intertwine. Choreographed and directed by David Nixon, this full-length ballet adaptation of Dracula transforms the famous Gothic tale into a visceral theatrical spectacle. The result is a production that is gripping from start to finish, packed with goosebump moments and sustained tension that keeps audiences firmly on the edge of their seats.
Set between Victorian England’s society and Transylvania’s shadows, the ballet follows the familiar tale of seduction, corruption, and the battle between darkness and light. Yet through movement, lighting, and music, the story feels new, unfolding with cinematic intensity. Nixon’s choreography is physical, demanding athletic precision and emotion from dancers, while the haunting score heightens the Gothic dread.
A Dracula to Remember
At the centre of the production is Leusson Muniz, whose portrayal of the infamous Count is nothing short of extraordinary. Muniz embodies Dracula not merely as a villain, but as a creature both seductive and terrifying. His performance is mesmerising; the way his body contorts, coils and glides across the stage feels almost supernatural.
At times predatory, at times eerily elegant, Muniz’s physicality blurs the line between dance and something more primal. It is this unsettling transformation of the human body that elevates the role from fantasy into something that feels chillingly real. His movements stretch and distort in ways that suggest an otherworldly force inhabiting the character, creating moments that genuinely send shivers down the spine.
A Dark Transformation
Opposite him, Kirstél Paterson delivers a deeply compelling performance as Mina. Paterson captures the character’s emotional arc with remarkable clarity. Initially, Mina is luminous and tender. She radiates warmth and humanity. Yet once Dracula’s influence begins to take hold, the transformation is chillingly precise.
Paterson mirrors Dracula’s physicality, her movements growing sharper and more serpentine as darkness infects her. Her nuanced performance adds depth and intensifies the ballet’s tragic inevitability.
A similar metamorphosis unfolds in Hannah Ward’s portrayal of Lucy, whose performance captures both vulnerability and eerie seduction. Ward’s transformation from innocence to vampiric allure is striking; her dancing shifts from light and lyrical to darker and more haunting. Her scenes become some of the ballet’s most visually arresting, reinforcing the production’s themes of seduction, corruption and supernatural power.
A Gothic Spectacle
Beyond the standout performances of all the cast, the production is a feast for the senses. Atmospheric lighting and striking costumes plunge the audience into candlelit castles and shadowy corridors, heightening the narrative’s tension. Sweeping capes, dramatic stage pictures, and daring choreography give the ballet a cinematic flair.
What makes this production particularly compelling is its relentless pacing. The choreography rarely allows the energy to drop, shifting seamlessly between moments of eerie stillness and explosive movement. The result is a performance that feels as suspenseful as it is beautiful.
A Spellbinding Night at the Ballet
With Leusson Muniz delivering a commanding central performance and powerful support from Kirstél Paterson and Hannah Ward, this production of Dracula, choreographed by David Nixon, proves that ballet can be every bit as thrilling as theatre or film.
It is seductive, unsettling and utterly riveting.
As the final scene fades and the curtain falls, the theatre erupts into applause. Within moments, the entire audience is on its feet, delivering a resounding standing ovation that feels richly deserved. The dancers return to the stage again to acknowledge the cheers, the electricity in the room a clear reflection of the spell the production has cast.
More than just a retelling of Bram Stoker’s Gothic classic, this production transforms the stage into a world of shadow and obsession, where dance becomes the language of fear, desire and transformation. By the final curtain, audiences are left exhilarated, haunted and completely captivated.
Dracula is showing at the Artscape Theatre Centre until 29 March 2026, with tickets ranging from approximately R200 to R450 and available through Webtickets and the Artscape box office.