This year, we have over 50 styles of nutcrackers and nearly 100 types of ornaments. SFB’s own red-headed nutcracker is back, as is our regally-cloaked mouse king. These two designs, custom-made and hand-detailed for SFB, are new and improved over last year’s versions, while still true to the original production design. They are available exclusively at the Ballet Shop.

In addition to our own nutcrackers, we’ve got lots of other new styles this year, from traditional soldiers, to colorfully whimsical characters, at prices to suit every budget. One of my new favorites is a cute little guy with a ridiculously over-sized hat, topped with a star.  I also like the new trio of glittering pastel nutcrackers. And what nutcracker shop would be complete without a selection of the world-famous Steinbachs? These collector’s items, hand-made in Germany, are wonderfully detailed and exquisitely finished.

After processing all the Nutcracker merchandise, we began work on the jewelry, apparel, and accessories, much of which will remain in storage until the Ballet’s repertory season. The 2011 season is full of fantastic ballets, starting with the tragic beauty of Giselle, and ending with the visually stunning The Little Mermaid (I was awed from the moment the curtain went up on the shadowy framed image of the poet, to the final stark scene, set against a starry night.) 

In between these two gorgeous productions, audiences will be treated to the usual array of classical and contemporary, a mix for which SFB has become deservedly famous. The upcoming season features both a world premiere and a revival from two of my favorite choreographers, Yuri Possokhov and Christopher Wheeldon, as well as the return of William Forsythe’s Artifact Suite.  I love the juxtaposition of Forsythe’s signature angular movements with J.S. Bach’s amazingly modern-sounding, 14-minute violin solo, followed by Eva Crossman-Hecht’s truly contemporary score. Of course the repertoire also contains some beautiful pieces from the masters: Balanchine, Fokine, MacMillan, Ashton, and our own Helgi Tomasson. And the new production of Coppélia promises to be an instant classic, combining Danilova and Balanchine’s choreography, for which Helgi Tomasson created the role of Franz, with all new scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno.

 Like the repertory season, the Ballet Shop’s selection is wonderfully eclectic and visually stunning. Once again I traveled to Paris over the summer for a glimpse at the latest fashion trends and the streets of Paris did not disappoint. This year I found some amazing pieces, including funky costume jewelry, and beautiful, hand-made pieces set with semi-precious stones.  Highlights include oversized collar necklaces from France, enamel-finished earrings from Italy, and multi-tiered necklaces inspired by ancient Egypt.  We have some great new accessories, such as fleece wrist cuffs made in Nepal, half-mitts from France and the usual collection of beautiful scarves from all over Europe.  And of course there are new custom designs in SFB- logo apparel, inspired by the latest in Parisian street fashion and made in Los Angeles.

Visit us on the south mezzanine the next time you’re at the Ballet, or request a Shop pass at the box office and browse without worrying about the bell.  And remember: all proceeds directly benefit San Francisco Ballet.

The Ballet Shop is open one hour before all performances, during intermissions, and thirty minutes after matinées. The Shop is also open one hour after all Nutcracker performances. Visit us online at www.sfballet.org/balletshop.

Now that the season is underway, the Shop has swapped out the nutcrackers for CDs and DVDs, children’s books and toys, and lots of SF Ballet logo apparel. Apparel bearing SF Ballet’s logo are our best selling items, and the styles we carry are very hip and comfortable. I design most of the clothing and everything is custom made for us in Los Angeles. Some of our most popular styles were inspired by the fashion I saw in the stores and showrooms in Reykjavik, Iceland when I was there on tour with the Company in 2007. Reykjavik is a city full of amazing design in architecture, art and fashion. I found this small city to be a hidden treasure for design ideas.

An example of our logo apparel.

Reykjavik is not the only city to provide inspiration. SF Ballet just finished a very successful run of Swan Lake, with sets inspired by the San Francisco Opera House, among other locations. I love seeing the “reproductions” of the Opera House’s lamps flanking the dramatic double staircase in Act III, although my favorite design element is the over-sized moon centered above the stage. As gorgeous as this production is, Swan Lake is only the beginning of a great season. This year I’m particularly looking forward to the new works by Christopher Wheeldon and Yuri Possokhov, which look amazing in rehearsal, and the return of William Forsythe’s in the middle, somewhat elevated, with all its sharp, quick energy. The Balanchine Masterworks program will be great too, with something for everyone: the beautifully romantic Serenade, the angular, still-modern Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Theme and Variations, with its classical tutus and choreography. I love how eclectic SF Ballet’s repertoire is, with classical and neoclassical works complemented by modern, contemporary pieces.

Like the Ballet’s repertoire, the Ballet Shop’s selection is a mix of classical and contemporary. From leather handbags to casual clothing, the Shop has items to suit many tastes and at a price range for every budget. My favorite things in the Shop are the fashion accessories. Every year, I attend an international fashion accessory show in Paris where I see collections from all over Europe. I also make an annual buying trip to New York. Consequently the Shop carries unique items from all over the world.

Below are photos of some of my favorites. These are handmade pieces from France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Israel. The long ruffle scarf in the photo is made in England and little wool neck wrap is from Finland. I try to offer unusual pieces that can’t be found elsewhere, so you won’t end-up like the girl in Jerome Robbins’s The Concert, proudly walking down the street in your new hat/scarf/earrings only to pass someone wearing the same thing!

The Ballet Shop is located in the Opera House on the south mezzanine and is open one hour before all performances, during intermissions, and 30 minutes after weekend matinees. Visit the Ballet Shop the next time you’re at the Ballet, or request a Shop pass at the Ballet box office.

The Ballet owns a big warehouse in the southern part of San Francisco, and here we store all of the sets and costumes from the archive of productions. The Shop also has space in this building, and our volunteers wind through a maze of tutus and bins of backdrops to work in a large open corner next to props, like the giant eggs from Nutcracker’s Russian divertissement. It can get cold in this windowless space, and we might look a bit silly wrapped in jackets and scarves on a warm, sunny day, but the space becomes cheery when filled with both staff and volunteers, who have fun listening to the radio, or just chatting as we price merchandise and check that the quality of the products is up to our standards.

I literally could not do my job without our dedicated volunteers. Some have been working with the Shop for years, others are new to the organization, but all of them are hard-working and dependable. I am so appreciative of all the hard work these volunteers put in; the Shop would not survive without them.

Some of our wonderful BRAVO volunteers at the warehouse.

Last year we finally managed to secure a custom-made nutcracker, following Martin Pakledinaz’s beautiful costume design and with his stamp of approval. This nutcracker was a big success, with his silver epaulets and signature flaming red hair. This year, we’re presenting his nemesis, the Mouse King! With his purple jacket, spiky teeth and gold crown, this new custom-made nutcracker is spectacular, and sure to be a huge hit with our patrons.

Custom Mouse King Nutcrackers

In addition to nutcrackers and tree ornaments, we’ve also begun processing merchandise for the upcoming repertory season. Every year I attend The International Gift Show in New York. This year, there were new vendors on display with really cute, good-quality kids’ items. I also found some newly released ballet books, both for children and adults. After New York, I always travel to Paris to buy jewelry and other assorted items for the Shop. On my latest trip, I found some amazing costume jewelry in the showrooms of Paris and also attended Bijohrca – the bi-annual international jewelry show at the Port de Versailles in Paris. This show always has a wonderful selection of designers and this year was no exception: I found some very cool jewelry, including lots of handmade pieces from Italy, Israel, Netherlands, and Paris itself. After hitting the show and showrooms, I left Paris and ventured into the French countryside to meet with independent jewelry designers, where I found more unique, handmade pieces from these local artists. I am always impressed at how well the French combine whimsy, art and of course their exquisite sense of style to create such beautiful and unique jewelry.

Some of the Shop's unique necklaces.

More necklaces available at the Shop.

This season promises to be a great one and I hope you’ll visit The Ballet Shop on the south mezzanine next time you come to a performance! As part of San Francisco Ballet, all Shop proceeds directly benefit the Association’s annual operating fund.

The Ballet Shop is open to the public and a Shop pass is available at the box office.