Smuin Contemporary Ballet, formerly known as Smuin Ballet,[1] is a touring ballet company based in San Francisco, California.[2] Smuin Ballet performs its season in multiple venues: the Dean Lesher Center in Walnut Creek,[3][4] the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in Mountain View, the Sunset Center in Carmel, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and The Palace of Fine Arts Theater[5] in San Francisco.[6]

History

Founding

Michael Smuin, a former dancer, choreographer[7] and co-artistic director[8] with the San Francisco Ballet and an award-winning choreographer,[9] founded Smuin Contemporary Ballet in 1994.[10]

Then known as Smuin Ballet,[1] the "American ballet company with a distinctly American accent… infused ballet with the rhythm, speed, and syncopation of American popular culture.”[11] Michael Smuin created about 40 ballets for the Smuin Ballet company.[12] After his sudden passing in 2007, Smuin's longtime “muse and mainstay,” [13] Celia Fushille, was named Artistic Director of Smuin.[14][15][16] As a founding member of the company, Fushille created roles in some of Michael Smuin's most memorable ballets, from the romantic Roxane in Cyrano to the lusty Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel. Fushille's vision for the Company, beyond the role of conservator and prime presenter of Michael Smuin’s ballets, is to bring to the stage new works by both world-renowned and emerging choreographers, as well as support young aspiring choreographers within the Smuin company.[17]

Company

Artistic Director

  • Celia Fushille

Ballet Mistress

  • Amy London

Choreographer in Residence

  • Amy Seiwert

Principal Dancers

  • Brandon Alexander
  • Tessa Barbour
  • Ian Buchanan
  • Claire Buehler
  • Stéphano Candreva
  • Maggie Carey
  • Mengjun Chen
  • Cassidy Isaacson
  • Tess Lane
  • Marc LaPierre
  • Terez Dean Orr
  • John Speed Orr
  • Lauren Pschirrer
  • Yuri Rogers
  • Brennan Wall

[18]

Touring and performing

Smuin performs over 60 shows per season in theaters throughout San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Mountain View, and Carmel. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Smuin also tours across the country to venues including the Joyce Theater in New York; Montana, Michael Smuin's home state; southern California; Colorado; and Alaska,[19] as well as throughout Europe and Australia.[19]

Smuin has launched over 50 new works into the American dance repertoire, including many choreographed by Michael Smuin, as well as over 10 ballets created by Amy Seiwert, Smuin's Choreographer in Residence.[20] Many notable choreographers such as Trey McIntyre, Helen Pickett, Ma Cong, Adam Houghland, and Val Caniparoli have premiered works with Smuin. Many of the choreographers have also given Smuin the opportunity to perform their works, including Jiří Kylián, Twyla Tharp, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and more.[20]

Recognitions

In February 2023, Dance Data Project announced the results from its first Gender Equity Index for the 50 largest U.S. ballet companies. Smuin Ballet was ranked "Best of Leadership" and “Exceptional.”[21][22]

References

  1. 1 2 "Smuin company shows growing pains in season opener" San Francisco Chronicle. 2016
  2. ↑ Lucille W. Keens. Visit San Francisco. Clinton Gilkie. pp. 26–. GGKEY:42TLWHFKUDK.
  3. ↑ "A world-class dance company in the neighborhood: Smuin Ballet a frequent visitor to Walnut Creek". By Janice De Jesus. San Jose Mercury News.
  4. ↑ "Snow and Sharks". Contra Costs Times.
  5. ↑ "Smuin Ballet at Palace of Fine Arts Theater". datebook.sfchronicle.com. Archived from the original on 2018-11-01.
  6. ↑ Frommer's (30 May 2012). AARP San Francisco 2012. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 238–. ISBN 978-1-118-26880-3.
  7. ↑ Michael Bower (1 March 2001). Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to San Francisco and the Bay Area: Including San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, and Palo Alto. First Books. ISBN 978-0-912301-46-4.
  8. ↑ Martin, Douglas (25 April 2007). "Michael Smuin, 68, Dancer and Eclectic Choreographer, Dies". The New York Times.
  9. ↑ Dorothy Dean Stevens (1 November 2008). Dancing Through Life: On the Monterey Peninsula and Beyond. iUniverse. pp. 195–. ISBN 978-0-595-48441-6.
  10. ↑ "SF Dance Pioneer Michael Smuin Collapses, Dies." SF Chronicle. 2007.
  11. ↑ "Founder – Smuin Ballet". smuinballet.org. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  12. ↑ Debra Craine; Judith Mackrell (19 August 2010). The Oxford Dictionary of Dance. Oxford University Press. pp. 415–. ISBN 978-0-19-956344-9.
  13. ↑ "Company".
  14. ↑ "Celia Fushille". Smuin Contemporary Ballet. 20 December 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Review: New take on 'Serenade’ for Smuin Ballet". By Rachel Howard. SF Gate, October 4, 2014
  16. ↑ "Dance review: Smuin Ballet kicks off holiday performance season". SF Gate, Allan Ulrich, November 22, 2014
  17. ↑ "Smuin dancers try hand at choreography". SFGate. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  18. ↑ "Dancers – Smuin Ballet". smuinballet.org. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  19. 1 2 "Surprising Facts About Smuin Ballet That You Might Not Know! - Smuin Ballet". www.smuinballet.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-21.
  20. 1 2 "Company". Smuin Ballet.
  21. ↑ Howard, Rachel (April 19, 2023). "Smuin Ballet's leading women ahead of the dance world's curve". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  22. ↑ "Dance Data Project® Announces First-Ever Gender Equity Index Ranking of Largest U.S. Ballet Companies". Dance Data Project. 2023-02-28. Retrieved 2024-01-14.

Further reading

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