Smuin Contemporary Ballet Celebrates The Season With 'Smuin's The Christmas Ballet'

Smuin Contemporary Ballet Celebrates The Season With "Smuin's The Christmas Ballet" 

Beloved Holiday Tradition Returns with Classical Ballet,
Contemporary Dance and Holiday Cheer

SAN FRANCISCO — Smuin Contemporary Ballet (Smuin) welcomes the holidays with Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet, its cherished holiday tradition featuring classical ballet set to beloved carols in the first act and a high-energy second act of contemporary works set to pop favorites. Curated by Artistic Director Amy Seiwert, this year’s production brings together classical ballet, contemporary dance and musical theater in works by eight choreographers, including festive favorites by company founder Michael Smuin and Val Caniparoli, alongside three world premieres by Seiwert, Smuin Company Artist Maggie Carey and Sacramento Ballet Company Artist Julia Feldman. The program also features works by Nicole Haskins, Ben Needham-Wood and Rex Wheeler. Tickets start at $25. For tickets and information, visit smuinballet.org.

This year's production reflects Smuin's commitment to nurturing the next generation of choreographers. Smuin Company Artist Maggie Carey and Sacramento Ballet Company Artist Julia Feldman, both participants in Smuin's inaugural Spring Point choreographic program, will contribute new works to Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet. Carey recently presented a work for the Fire Island Dance Festival, while Feldman has choreographed for Sacramento Ballet and other companies and earned top honors at Milwaukee Ballet's Genesis choreographic competition. 

Performance Schedule

November 21–22: Lesher Center for the Arts (1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek)

December 3–6: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (500 Castro St., Mountain View)

December 10–24: Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (700 Howard St., San Francisco)

Lady Camden’s Fabulous Flair Lights Up LGBTQ Night

Smuin's annual LGBTQ Night returns December 22 for a dazzling evening of dance, drag and holiday cheer. Hosting the celebration is Lady Camden, a former Smuin Company dancer and choreographer who became the first runner-up on Season 14 of RuPaul's Drag Race. The special performance of Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet promises playful surprises, guest appearances and perhaps a little onstage mischief from Lady Camden herself. The festivities continue with an afterparty featuring music, dancing and holiday revelry. A portion of ticket sales will benefit local LGBTQ organizations.

Making the Magic of Dance More Accessible

Exploring the world of ballet through touch and movement, Smuin invites audiences who are blind or have low vision to experience Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet in a uniquely engaging way. As part of its commitment to making dance more accessible, Smuin offers two specially designed performances in San Francisco. The Friday, December 11 performance at 7:30 p.m. will feature American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. The Wednesday, December 23 matinee at 2 p.m. will offer live audio description in partnership with Gravity Access Services, along with a pre-performance Haptic Access Tour. The tour allows patrons to experience elements of the costumes, stage and choreography before the performance. Both performances take place at the Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. For tickets and accessibility reservations, call 415-912-1899 or email boxoffice@smuinballet.org.

ABOUT SMUIN
Founded in 1994 by Tony and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Michael Smuin, Smuin Contemporary Ballet is dedicated to advancing the art of ballet by marrying classical forms with contemporary dance. To that end, Smuin collaborates with choreographers from around the world, commissioning new works and embracing bold ideas while also honoring the past. Now under the direction of Amy Seiwert, the company continues its history of innovation in dance, lifting up new voices and providing space for artists to push their creative habits. At its headquarters in San Francisco, the Smuin Center for Dance, the company inspires the next generation of dancers and dance makers, offering residencies and other programs for early-career choreographers alongside ballet classes for the public at all levels.

All programs are subject to change.

For more information, visit https://www.smuinballet.org or call (415) 912-1899. 

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