SAN FRANCISCO BALLET ASSOCIATION

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET'S LEGACY AND REPUTATION HAVE EARNED ITS PLACE AMONG THE WORLD'S LEADING BALLET COMPANIES. THE COMPANY UNDERTOOK ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL TOUR SINCE 2019 AND FIRST UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TAMARA ROJO. THIS TOUR MARKS THE FIRST-EVER ENGAGEMENT IN MADRID, SPAIN. ON OUR HOME STAGE AT THE WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE, COMPANY PRESENTED A RANGE OF CLASSICAL, NEOCLASSICAL, AND CONTEMPORARY BALLETS INCLUDING 37 NUTCRACKER, 16 FRANKENSTEIN, 10 MANON, 8 RAYMONDA, AND 21 PERFORMANCES COVERING THREE MIXED BILL PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SCHOOL SPRING FESTIVAL FEATURED SFBS STUDENTS IN TWO PERFORMANCES.

THE ASSOCIATION OPERATES SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SCHOOL AND A STUDENT RESIDENCE. OVER 800 STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL AND 60 ADVANCED STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD RESIDE IN THE STUDENT RESIDENCE. THE BALLET SCHOOL CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED AND TAUGHT BY AN EMINENT FACULTY, EMPHASIZING A STRONG CLASSICAL TECHNIQUE AND A FLOW OF MOVEMENT THAT SUGGESTS A SENSE OF ENERGY, FREEDOM, AND JOY REFLECTING THE KIND OF DANCING FAVORED BY THE COMPANY. (SEE SCH. O) STUDENTS AGES 2 TO 18 FOLLOW A STRUCTURED SEQUENCE OF TRAINING DESIGNED TO INCREASE THEIR TECHNICAL SKILLS, STAMINA, AND DISCIPLINE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR AGE AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM VARIES ACCORDING TO AGE AND ABILITY AND INCLUDES CLASSES IN BALLET TECHNIQUE, POINTE WORK, PAS DE DEUX, BATTERIE, CONDITIONING, CONTEMPORARY DANCE, AND MUSIC. DROP-IN BALLET CLASSES FOR ADULT DANCERS AND A PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PARKINSON'S REACH MORE THAN 1500 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY. THE SCHOOL ALSO OPERATES A SUMMER SESSION THAT BRINGS AN ADDITIONAL 240 STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR RIGOROUS BALLET TRAINING. THE BALLET SCHOOL PROVIDES A LIMITED NUMBER OF TUITION AND HOUSING SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS BASED ON THEIR FINANCIAL NEED OR POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE A PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN BALLET, AS WELL AS TO TALENTED STUDENTS RECRUITED FROM SF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. NEARLY 70% OF THE DANCERS IN THE BALLET'S PROFESSIONAL COMPANY TRAINED IN THE SCHOOL. STUDENTS HAVE ALSO GONE ON TO DANCE WITH SUCH COMPANIES AS AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE, ATLANTA BALLET, BOSTON BALLET, ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET, DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET, HAMBURG BALLET, HOUSTON BALLET, MIAMI CITY BALLET, NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA, NEW YORK CITY BALLET, OREGON BALLET THEATRE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET, PHILADELPHIA BALLET, PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE, ROYAL NEW ZEALAND BALLET, ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET, VIANNA OPERA BALLET, AND WASHINGTON BALLET AMONG OTHERS. SEMINARS ON NUTRITION, PSYCHOLOGY, AND RELATED ISSUES ARE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE BALLET SCHOOL ALSO OPERATES SUMMER SESSIONS IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED DANCERS FROM AROUND THE US AND ABROAD. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDES PRE-BALLET CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AGES 2-7, ADULT OPEN BALLET CLASSES, REPERTORY WORKSHOPS, AND CLASSES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PARKINSON'S.