"The Tempest" Choreographer Chat

Tess Sinke, Deos Ballet Artistic Director and Choreographer of The Tempest. Headshot by Dave Burgess.

Creating a brand-new evening-length ballet is a process that takes many months (or years), a trailblazing level of creativity, and a small village. We sat down with Deos Ballet Artistic Director Tess Sinke to learn a little bit more about her journey to creating The Tempest, premiering in Grand Rapids on November 21, 2025.

How long have you been planning on creating a ballet inspired by Shakespeare's ‘The Tempest’?

T: I officially started planning the Tempest about a year ago. I usually spend about 12 months actively planning and researching for any new full-length ballets. However, the idea to do a full-length Shakespeare ballet has been in my mind for years. 

Why is The Tempest a great story to tell through ballet?

T: Shakespeare plays tend to make great ballets. They have great character development, intriguing stories, and complex themes that still resonate today. For The Tempest specifically, I think it's a story that fits well with our cast of dancers. It can be done with a smaller cast and has really compelling characters that are both fun and challenging to develop in the studio. Themes of magic, betrayal, power and control make this a really interesting story, playing with the complex sides of humanity. We are all capable of being controlled by power and revenge, but also by love and forgiveness.  Our production features a small cast, Art Nouveau-inspired costumes and sets, and will be performed at the Gezon Auditorium, giving an intimate, up-close view for every audience member.  

What are you most excited about with creating this ballet?

T: It's hard to pick one thing! First, I'm very excited to swap the gender of many of the characters and play around how that impacts the story and the character development.  It adds another dimension and freedom on how we want to interpret the work. I'm also excited to play around with the magical and mystical element of the story - I haven't really made a ballet yet that has magical creatures! It's been both fun and challenging working on what we want our version to look and feel like.  There are so many incredible productions out there of this play, and so it's been a lot of research and discussion with the production team on how we want to play it.

If you could be any character from the Tempest, which one would you want to be and why?

T: This is a tough question - most of the characters have some pretty sad back stories.  I've really enjoyed developing the role of Prospera. She goes through a transformation through the story and deals with complex inner turmoil, needing to confront her inner demons.  Equally, I've really enjoyed diving into Miranda. While she represents the innocence and goodness that exists in the world - the light and love - she is not a one-dimensional character. It takes courage to love in such a broken and messy world.  I've grown very attached to her character and what she represents in the story.

Experience the world premiere of Tess Sinke’s The Tempest, onstage November 21-22 at the Gezon Auditorium!