A grand spectacle featuring a compelling narration of Don Juan, the Casanova, accompanied by the enchanting sounds of the Spanish guitar awaits you. The San Diego Ballet will be performing “The Many Loves of Don Juan” at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center on Feb. 24 and 25.
Audiences are invited to enjoy the performance of ballet dancers who are a married couple. Stephanie Maiorano and Tona Gomez have been building their career together as a couple since 2018 and as wife and husband since 2020. They were each on separate paths in the ballet world until they met.
Maiorano, the San Diego native, followed a relatively standard procedure as a ballerina. Her first ballet class was at the age of 3, and she started dreaming of becoming a ballet dancer at 11 when she first realized it could be a career.
Gomez, from Mexico, always wanted to be a dancer like his parents. His first dance teacher was his mother, and later, he knew he wanted to be a ballerino after watching “The Nutcracker.” However, his parents wanted him to finish his degree, so he had to pause his dream for a moment. He started his professional career a bit late, at 22 years old, which was the last chance – due to age restrictions – to enter the ballet school.
After a journey they had each followed, their first meeting was impressive. Maiorano mentioned that she was a career-oriented person before she found Gomez.
“I was teaching a class that Tona came to take, and he jumped so high. I had never seen anything like it in person, so that pulled my attention. I didn’t feel anything romantic until we started dancing together, actually touching and moving together to the music, and it was like sparks.”
She felt that Gomez was someone she wanted after their first performance together.
Gomez recalled the tension when he first became a partner with Maiorano. “She was the principal, so I was very nervous and didn’t want to touch her. I was trying to be very careful,” he said. However, as he started dancing with her, he felt a chemistry. “I became comfortable and loved dancing with her.”
After they began climbing the career ladder together, they complemented each other. Maiorano’s life and career expanded after meeting Gomez. “Tona broke my cycle – rehearsals, teaching, home – and said, ‘We’re going to Mexico, and we’re going to teach up here…’ It made me realize I like that a lot more,” she said. Spontaneity has permeated Maiorano’s life, helping her to grow at the same time.
For Gomez, who runs several businesses, Maiorano has been the best supporter. Noting that many businesspeople can’t share their experiences with their partners, Gomez said, “I can share what I’m doing with Stephanie,” since most of his businesses are related to dance, as well as her profession – arts center and marketing agency are some of Gomez’s businesses.
“Sharing a passion is special because a lot of married couples don’t. Both of us have a love and commitment to ballet, dance, and the arts. That was a driving force in how we became a couple and how we are as a couple,” said Maiorano. “We are each other’s cheerleaders.”
Maiorano and Gomez have been on stage together countless times, sharing memorable moments. After the “Jungle Book” performance, which was one of the early performances they did together, Gomez gave a big smile at Maiorano as she took a bow, turned around, and looked at him. “That was when I knew immediately we were going to be together. I even have someone who took a picture of that moment, and we have it as a magnet on our fridge, so I get to see that moment all the time,” said Maiorano.
In their newest performance together, “The Many Loves of Don Juan,” Maiorano will play seven different characters in every scene of Don Juan’s life, filling the stage with wild happenings. “The last time I performed this was 12 years ago. It’ll be interesting to do it now with Tona,” noted Maiorano.
Discovering them performing together on stage after learning about their career and love story will make the show even more enjoyable.
DON JUAN
When: Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.
Where: The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave.
Tickets, information: sandiegoballet.org/the-many-loves-of-don-juan/.
