Pic of the Week

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 | Pic of the Week, SFB Scene | No Comments

Sarah Van Patten in Taylor's Company B, featured on Program 2 which opens tonight. (© Chris Hardy)

Tags: Company B

Finding Time for Fun!

Thursday, February 4th, 2010 | All Posts by Ben Stewart, SFB Scene | No Comments

Hello All, Matt and I are really excited about the upcoming programs, especially the new Wheeldon piece, Ghosts, and Company B. Matt and I both learned the “Pennsylvania Polka” role in Company B and we are both in the corps of Ghosts, so we get to dance with each other a lot which is nice. The music is absolutely gorgeous for Ghosts, and the movement is enjoyable and challenging at the same time. I think Christopher has choreographed a smash hit. I hope you’ll agree with me when you see the duet he has choreographed for Damian Smith and Yuan Yuan Tan. The music and the choreography combined are enough to take your breath away.

On the lighter side of things, the other day a lot of the guys in company class decided to show our wilder side by all wearing crazy colored tights made by Myles Thatcher’s mother. The dancewear line is called Saut de Basque. Here’s a picture for your enjoyment. We like to keep a sense of humor even while we’re working hard. It dissipates any stress that might be building up. :)

Hangin' out after class

Tags: Ben Stewart, Company B, Company Class, Ghosts, Matt Stewart, Myles Thatcher

SFB Scene

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 | All Posts by Open Studio 455, SFB Scene | No Comments

• This week in the studios, Company members continue rehearsing works for the 2010 Repertory Season. Patrick Corbin is staging Paul Taylor’s Company B which is set to the big-band era songs of The Andrews Sisters, and Renato Zanella is currently creating his 2010 world premiere. Additional works being rehearsed include Tomasson’s “Haffner” Symphony, Possokhov’s Diving into the Lilacs, and Wheeldon’s Rush.
• Two principal dancers are celebrating new arrivals to their families. On September 23, Kristin Long and Music Director and Principal Conductor Martin West welcomed their daughter, Hannah Elizabeth Long West. She measured nearly 22 inches and weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces. On October 28, Pascal Molat and his wife Genevieve welcomed their son, Matisse Molat, who weighed 8 pounds and 3 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Check out the adorable pic of Matisse from the proud father’s recent blog post.
• If you can’t wait until December for your favorite Nutcracker characters, you’ll have two chances next week to see them out in San Francisco. On November 19, students from San Francisco Ballet School will don snowflake costumes from the Company’s production of Nutcracker, and participate in the “Snowflakes on Market” lighting ceremony at 6pm. On November 20, several Nutcracker characters will be on hand for the Embarcadero Center Tree Lighting Ceremony from 7–8pm. Both events are free and open to the public.
• Yesterday, San Francisco Ballet School announced its participation in Assemblée Internationale, hosted by Canada’s National Ballet School as part of their fiftieth anniversary festivities. The week-long event features students from twelve internationally renowned schools, and San Francisco Ballet School is distinguished as the only school from the U.S. participating. Assemblée Internationale activities will include an international choreographic festival, with an emphasis on student choreography. Each participating school will perform existing pieces selected from their repertory, and students will also work with their peers from other schools to learn original works choreographed by fellow students. The week will culminate in performances of both the existing repertory and newly-created dances. Performances run from November 18–21 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, at 404 Jarvis Street in Toronto. For more information or to purchase tickets, call at 416.964.5148.

Dana Genshaft and James Sofranko rehearse Possokhov's Diving into the Lilacs. (© Erik Tomasson)

Tags: "Haffner" Symphony, Company B, Diving into the Lilacs, Kristin Long, Nutcracker, Pascal Molat, San Francisco Ballet School, SFB Scene