Dance

Yuan Yuan Tan and Vitor Luiz in the pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s “Bells” were highlights of San Francisco Ballet’s 2020 opening gala concert. (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)

Helgi Tomasson kicks off 35th season with SF Ballet

Veterans Tan, Luiz sizzle in show of new, classic dances

Yuan Yuan Tan and Vitor Luiz in the pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s “Bells” were highlights of San Francisco Ballet’s 2020 opening gala concert. (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)
San Francisco Ballet dancers Luke Ingham and Mathilde Froustey appear in Helgi Tomasson’s “Nutcracker” at the War Memorial Opera House. (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)

San Francisco Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ goes deep

Added nuance welcomed in 2019 edition of holiday favorite

San Francisco Ballet dancers Luke Ingham and Mathilde Froustey appear in Helgi Tomasson’s “Nutcracker” at the War Memorial Opera House. (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)
Kim Epifano appears in “Rock & Mortar” at Z Space. (Courtesy Robbie Sweeny)

‘Rock & Mortar’ takes audiences on a journey through memory

Epiphany Dance Theater’s performance art piece transcends time

Kim Epifano appears in “Rock & Mortar” at Z Space. (Courtesy Robbie Sweeny)
ODC/Dance presents its annual holiday production of “The Velveteen Rabbit.” (Courtesy Margo Moritz)

Holiday Dance 2019: Nuts about ‘Nutcracker’

The classic ballet, and fun alternatives, on stages across the bay

ODC/Dance presents its annual holiday production of “The Velveteen Rabbit.” (Courtesy Margo Moritz)
Lenora Lee and Hien Huynh appear in “In the Skin of Her Hands” at Dance Mission. (Courtesy Robbie Sweeny)

Lenora Lee dancers get under cancer survivors’ skin

Powerful multimedia premiere at Dance Mission tells personal stories

Lenora Lee and Hien Huynh appear in “In the Skin of Her Hands” at Dance Mission. (Courtesy Robbie Sweeny)
One of two new routines in “Stomp,” onstage at American Conservatory Theater’s Geary Theater this week, features suitcases on wheels. (Courtesy Steve McNicholas)

‘Stomp’ tromps on

Fun, percussive dance extravaganza returns to The City

One of two new routines in “Stomp,” onstage at American Conservatory Theater’s Geary Theater this week, features suitcases on wheels. (Courtesy Steve McNicholas)
The famed Mariinsky corps de ballet executes “La Bayadère’s” Act 3 with stunning precision. (Courtesy Natasha Razina)

Mariinsky Ballet dazzles with technical virtuosity

Cal Performances presents Russian troupe in classic ‘La Bayadère’

The famed Mariinsky corps de ballet executes “La Bayadère’s” Act 3 with stunning precision. (Courtesy Natasha Razina)
Stella Adelman, managing director at Dance Mission Theater, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

SF Lives: A dancer on a mission

“I was one of those kids always on the bleachers when their…

Stella Adelman, managing director at Dance Mission Theater, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
“Between me & the other world” at Zaccho Studio in The City is powerful performance about racial injustice. (Courtesy Zaccho Dance Theatre)

Zaccho Dance Theatre takes on race, identity, injustice

‘Between me & the other world’ an evocative, emotional installation

“Between me & the other world” at Zaccho Studio in The City is powerful performance about racial injustice. (Courtesy Zaccho Dance Theatre)
Mark Morris Dance Group performs the delightful three-section “Mozart Dances” in UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. (Courtesy Stephanie Berger)

Mark Morris Dance Group delights in ‘Mozart Dances’

Berkeley Symphony led by Colin Fowler, pianist Inon Barnatan play beautiful music

Mark Morris Dance Group performs the delightful three-section “Mozart Dances” in UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. (Courtesy Stephanie Berger)
Alyssa Mitchel presents The Classroom (Jessica DeFranco, Mariko Ishikawa, Katherine Neumann and Nicole Maimon are pictured) is an exploration of the learning process onstage at ODC Dance Commons Sept. 7-8.(Courtesy Kyle Adler)

Fall 2019 Arts Preview: Dance

From ballet to contemporary to folkloric, choreographers reveal the power of movement

Alyssa Mitchel presents The Classroom (Jessica DeFranco, Mariko Ishikawa, Katherine Neumann and Nicole Maimon are pictured) is an exploration of the learning process onstage at ODC Dance Commons Sept. 7-8.(Courtesy Kyle Adler)
Amy Seiwert’s Imagery’s Isaac Bates-Vinueza and Shania Rasmussen dance in “All I Ever Knew” in “Sketch 9: Perspective” at ODC Theater. (Courtesy Chris Hardy)

Imagery’s Sketch 9 showcase brings on technology

Amy Seiwert, collaborators experiment with projections in new dances

Amy Seiwert’s Imagery’s Isaac Bates-Vinueza and Shania Rasmussen dance in “All I Ever Knew” in “Sketch 9: Perspective” at ODC Theater. (Courtesy Chris Hardy)
Spitfire Company, a group from the Czech Republic, brings its absurdist “Antiwords,” involving a crate of beer — to Southside Theater on May 30, June 1 and June 2. Courtesy photo

International artists take over Fort Mason

Theater, dance, music, spoken-word performers explore ‘path to democracy’

Spitfire Company, a group from the Czech Republic, brings its absurdist “Antiwords,” involving a crate of beer — to Southside Theater on May 30, June 1 and June 2. Courtesy photo
Sydney Franz, left, and Megan Kurashige appear in “Close the Door Slowly” at Z Space. (Courtesy Stephen Texeira)

Liss Fain’s ‘Close the Door Slowly’ a poignant look at loss

Everyday objects take on surrealistic aspects in performance installation

  • May 4, 2019
Sydney Franz, left, and Megan Kurashige appear in “Close the Door Slowly” at Z Space. (Courtesy Stephen Texeira)
One Dance, pictured in San Francisco’s City Hall in 2018, is moving to Yerba Buena Gardens this year. (Courtesy Lydia Daniller)

Free Bay Area Dance Week kicks off in Yerba Buena Gardens

Hundreds of classes, shows across the Bay from April 26 through May 5

One Dance, pictured in San Francisco’s City Hall in 2018, is moving to Yerba Buena Gardens this year. (Courtesy Lydia Daniller)
Bianca Mendoza takes a solo moment at rehearsal of Alive & Well Productions’ new piece. (Courtesy Zoe Schiffer)

‘From Ash’ grapples with destruction and redemption

Choreographer Annie Kahane creates new world in dance-theater piece

  • Apr 21, 2019
Bianca Mendoza takes a solo moment at rehearsal of Alive & Well Productions’ new piece. (Courtesy Zoe Schiffer)
From left, Ulrik Birkkjaer, Yuan Yuan Tan and Wei Wang perform opening night of San Francisco Ballet’s production of “The Little Mermaid.” (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)

Yuan Yuan Tan stunning in San Francisco Ballet’s ‘Little Mermaid’

Dancer shines in John Neumeier’s dark, lavish take on fairy tale

From left, Ulrik Birkkjaer, Yuan Yuan Tan and Wei Wang perform opening night of San Francisco Ballet’s production of “The Little Mermaid.” (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)
From left, Alexander Smith, Harriet Ellis, Alan Hunte, Josh Hutchby and Luke Bradshaw are on tour in Rosie Kay Dance Company’s “5 Soldiers,” onstage in Taube Atrium Theater in the Veterans Building. (Courtesy San Francisco Performances)

‘5 Soldiers’ a riveting, urgent look at life in the military

Rosie Kay Dance Company performers are amazingly authentic

From left, Alexander Smith, Harriet Ellis, Alan Hunte, Josh Hutchby and Luke Bradshaw are on tour in Rosie Kay Dance Company’s “5 Soldiers,” onstage in Taube Atrium Theater in the Veterans Building. (Courtesy San Francisco Performances)
Rosy Kay Dance’s award-winning “5 Soldiers” shows the human side of war. (Courtesy San Francisco Performances)

Rosie Kay Dance’s intense ‘5 Soldiers’ gets U.S. premiere

Scottish choreographer Rosie Kay has been on more than a decade-long journey…

Rosy Kay Dance’s award-winning “5 Soldiers” shows the human side of war. (Courtesy San Francisco Performances)
Joseph Walsh appears in San Francisco Ballet’s premiere of Yurl Possokhov’s “…two united in a single soul …” (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)

Men shine in San Francisco Ballet’s ‘Lyric Voices’

Making its fifth program title “Lyric Voices” particularly notable, San Francisco Ballet’s…

Joseph Walsh appears in San Francisco Ballet’s premiere of Yurl Possokhov’s “…two united in a single soul …” (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)