Creating the Theme for Gala: Moving the Compass

Moving the Compass – “Bridging the globe through the universal language of dance”

In early June,  I was asked to create a theme for the upcoming gala. My fellow auxiliary members and I decided to focus on the artistic vision of the Company, the progressive nature of the Company’s work, and the global impact the Company has on the world’s most prestigious dance stages.  Moving the Compass represents the innovation and virtuosity of the oldest ballet company in the world.

SF Ballet's Ruben Martin Cintas, Damian Smith and Yuan Yuan Tan rehearse Cranko's 'Onegin'

The word ‘compass’ has multiple  meanings, conjuring up a variety of images: Travel, movement, direction.Finding a way back to something familiar, or guiding you to discover a new road.  We all have an internal compass: keeping us on track or pushing us in new directions.

My instincts as a theatre producer sent me to the  artistic leadership for inspiration. Reading Helgi Tomasson’s artistic statement in the 2013 brochure,  I found the link: ‘Bridging  the globe through the universal language of dance.’

The theme for this year was inspired by the work of San Francisco Ballet, its global reach, the cultural diversity of the dancers and the work the Company brings back to the San Francisco community. SF Ballet’s compass  is a heart that is always moving, setting new standards and directions in the world of dance.

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