Summer with SF Ballet: Part 1
When dancers are in the off-season, theyâre not really off.
Part one of our two-part series, âSummer with SF Ballet,â offers highlights from all things SF Ballet during the summer months:
Sadler's Wells, London: May 29âJune 8

"That was epic!!!!!!!!!!!,â wrote one theatergoer on Instagram after the Companyâs first performance at Sadlerâs Wells Theatre in London. The tour opened on May 29 with Ratmanskyâs Shostakovich Trilogy and marked a welcome return to the capital city for SF Ballet, which was last seen there in 2012. This yearâs programming included 10 European premieres and a whole lot of tinsel; favorites from the 2018 Unbound festival like David Dawsonâs Anima Animus, Cathy Marstonâs Snowblind andâof courseâArthur Pitaâs hypnotic Björk Ballet took the stage.
âStylish, forward-thinking, technically impressive, San Francisco Ballet carries all the hallmarks of its home city.â  âThe Guardian

By the end of the four programs, UK outlets had published 55 reviews in total. "The dancers are brilliant,â wrote The Guardianâs Lyndsey Winship in her post-tour wrap-up. âShout outs to Sasha De Sola, who transformed from the prim perfection of a pageant queen in Bespoke to earnest, lyrical dancer of Hummingbird in the time it took to change costumes; to Angelo Greco, who landed a double tour with such flawless style it made me laugh out loud; and the infectiously joyful jumping of Wei Wang.â For audience reactions, flip through SF Balletâs Instagram story, where we captured a few (âWhen I saw [The Infinite Ocean] I was very intrigued; my mind was at work. Are they worshipping something? Are they looking at the sun?â observed one young patron).
After the tour closed on June 8, dancers scattered across the world on vacation, sharing highlights on Instagram: Daniel Deivison-Oliveiraâs visits from family in London, Yuan Yuan Tanâs arabesques in Moscow, and Ludmila Bizalionâs strolls through Van Gogh-esque lavender fields in Provence.
Ballet Sun Valley, Idaho: July 5â7

Back in the States, SF Ballet performed two programs at Ballet Sun Valley in Idaho on July 5 and 7. This popular resort town boasts mountains, equestrian routes, and hiking trailsâa clear departure from San Franciscoâs bustling cityscape. And at 5,945 feet in elevation, itâs not always easy to catch your breath: âDancing in high altitudes can be challenging because the level of stamina youâre used to, like at sea level in San Francisco, completely goes away,â says Dores AndrĂ©. âThe challenges are worth it though, especially at Sun Valley, where the open-air atmosphere, mountains, and greenery are a refreshing change of pace."
âHigh-flying aerial twirls, elegance, intrigue⊠The [Company] engendered rave reviews from the sell-out crowd that spilled out onto the Pavilion lawn on a picture perfect summer evening.â âEye on Sun Valley
AndrĂ© is one of 38 Company members who traveled to Sun Valley to dance in a gala-style program (think pas de deux and dynamic excerpts) on opening night. On July 7, the Company danced Stanton Welchâs Bespoke, Trey McIntyreâs Your Flesh Shall Be a Great Poem, and Justin Peckâs Hurry Up, Weâre Dreaming.

Stern Grove Festival: July 28

After returning to San Francisco, the Company hit the ground running to prepare for the free Stern Grove Festival performance, a San Francisco Ballet tradition since 1943. This year, the repertory included two Balanchine worksâScotch Symphony and the Rubies pas de deuxâin addition to excerpts from Tomassonâs The Sleeping Beauty and Possokhovâs Diving Into the Lilacs. Peckâs sneaker ballet Hurry Up, Weâre Dreaming closed the program.

Held in a tree-lined venue in San Franciscoâs Sunset district, this yearâs performance introduced audiences to Misa Kuranaga, the Companyâs brand new principal dancer, who danced with Esteban Hernandez in the Rubies pas de deux. For those who have been around long enough, Kuranaga may be a familiar face; she joined the Company as an apprentice in 2001 after studying at SF Ballet School, before leaving for Boston Balletâwhere she spent the next 16 years. On Sunday, Kuranaga was among her colleagues staying warm backstage while patrons curled up to wine, coffee, and picnic lunches, eagerly awaiting the top of the show.Earlier in the week, SF Ballet School faculty member Kristi DeCaminada visited the grove to teach global dance styles to children as part of Stern Grove Festivalâs âKids Days,â an admission-free education and outreach program. Choreographer Cathy Marston even joined the celebration; nestled into the Trocadero Clubhouse, she discussed what itâs like to work with SF Ballet in advance of her world premiere on Program 05 in the 2020 Season. Shhâdetails of her new ballet are a secret, for now.



Now that itâs August, dancers are back in the studios preparing for the upcoming season. Cathy Marston has been in town to work on her new ballet, as have Balanchine rĂ©pĂ©titeurs Sandra Jennings and Elyse Borne, who have been working with dancers to stage âMr. Bâsâ three-ballet masterpiece, Jewels. Itâs bustling over here at 455 Franklin Street. Stay tunedâthis is only part one of âSummer with SF Balletâ!
Header Image: Esteban Hernandez in Welch's Bespoke during the Sun Valley Festival // © Erik Tomasson