Dance Del Bello brings together an accomplished and diverse cast for David Kloss's celebrated seasonal ballet adaptation of Charles Dickens's literary classic, acclaimed by the author's great-grandson, Cedric Dickens.

NEWTOWN, PA — Dance Del Bello returns this November with A Christmas Carol, the Ballet, choreographed by David Kloss, bringing together an ensemble of artists whose experience spans international musical theater, classical ballet, contemporary dance, and multidisciplinary performance.

Based on Charles Dickens's enduring literary classic, A Christmas Carol follows Ebenezer Scrooge through a series of extraordinary encounters that challenge his understanding of the past, present, and future. Through the expressive language of ballet and theatrical storytelling, Kloss's production examines the complexities of human nature, the consequences of our choices, the structures that shape our lives, and the possibility of compassion and change.

Returning as Ebenezer Scrooge is Michael Weidner, reprising his portrayal of the miser whose extraordinary Christmas Eve journey becomes a reckoning with the life he has led and the person he might yet become.

Guiding Scrooge through his extraordinary journey are the three Spirits of Christmas, brought to life by an accomplished ensemble of performers. Caleaf Henson performs the dual roles of the Ghost of Jacob Marley and the Spirit of Christmas Future. Henson's international performance credits include being an original cast member and Assistant Dance Captain for MJ Das Musical in Hamburg, performing in Disney's Tarzan in Stuttgart, and a five-year engagement with Disney's The Lion King UK & Ireland Tour.

Danielle Troyano will dance the Ghost of Christmas Past. Her professional ballet career includes performances with Ballet Idaho, Montgomery Ballet, and Albany Berkshire Ballet. The Ghost of Christmas Present will be performed by Amber Aufiero, whose performance and creative experience includes Glorify Dance Theater, Ballet Tucson, and Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society.

Beyond Scrooge's personal history, the ballet turns its attention to the broader social and philosophical questions embedded within Dickens's story. Sarah Brower and Ruslan Sprague portray Want and Ignorance, two principal roles that embody the consequences of societal indifference and the human cost of inequality. Their presence expands the narrative beyond one man's transformation, bringing into focus the collective responsibilities and moral choices that shape society.

A Bucks County native, Brower trained at Pennsylvania Dance Institute and Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from DeSales University. Her principal performance roles include Beauty & the Beast, Swan Lake, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty. She currently serves as Ballet Mistress for Dance Del Bello.

Sprague brings an extensive performance background to the role, with credits including Ballet West, Albany Berkshire Ballet, Ballet Metropolis, Toledo Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Ballet Key West, Charleston Ballet, Western Chicago Ballet, Paula Weber's Carmina Burana, and a Moscow Ballet project.

The production also revisits the formative years of Scrooge's life and the relationship that would leave a lasting impression on his heart. Jacob Bononcini portrays Young Scrooge, bringing performance experience from the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Burgundy Blue Dance, Texture Contemporary Ballet, Alamo Arts Ballet Company, and Antonio Metropolitan Ballet. Chloe Galler portrays Belle, Scrooge's former love, whose story offers a glimpse into the tenderness, possibility, and choices that shaped his younger years. Galler joined Dance Del Bello in 2015 following more than a decade of training at Pennsylvania Dance Institute. While attending the University of Pittsburgh, she also performed with the university's Ballet Club before graduating in 2021. Beyond classical ballet, her artistic pursuits extend into commercial performance as a fire dancer, aerialist, and flow artist.

The Cratchit family brings another dimension of warmth and humanity to the production. Koutnesov Plaisir, a Haitian creative and dancer, will portray Mr. Cratchit. His performance background includes Ayikodans, Haiti's premier dance company, directed by Jeanguy Saintus. Avelyn Fong, a middle school student at Lower Moreland Middle School, will perform the role of Tiny Tim.

Rounding out the cast as Scrooge's Nephew is Alec Aversa, a Philadelphia-based modern dancer and PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Drexel University. His performance credits include Dancefusion, where he performed in works such as Anna Sokolow's Lyric Suite, as well as the Timeless production at the Philly Fringe Festival. He has also appeared in experimental dance films for Tori Lawrence and Drexel Dance Films and coordinated theater operations for Misericordia and Drexel universities.

Bringing together artists with backgrounds spanning international musical theater, classical ballet, contemporary dance, and multidisciplinary performance, Dance Del Bello's A Christmas Carol, the Ballet offers a distinctive interpretation of a story that continues to resonate across generations.

Mr. Kloss's ballet has received special recognition from Cedric Dickens, great-grandson of Charles Dickens, who praised Kloss's interpretation of the classic, describing it as “a brilliant interpretation, a very happy occasion.” The recognition offers a meaningful connection between Kloss's ballet and the literary legacy from which the ballet draws its inspiration.

As the production returns, it invites audiences to consider not only the traditions that bring us together during the holiday season, but also the enduring questions at the heart of Dickens's story: how we treat one another, what we leave behind, and what it means to change.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

A Christmas Carol, the Ballet
Choreography by David Kloss

November 15, 2026 - 3 PM
Zlock Performing Arts Center
Newtown, Pennsylvania

Artistic Director: Delphine Del Bello Spencer
Dance Del Bello is 1 501c3 non profit arts organization.