Terez Dean News

Smuin kicks off the holidays with the welcome return of The Christmas Ballet, a program featuring two acts packed to the brim with both breathtaking classical ballet and festive contemporary numbers. The beloved Bay Area tradition will bring back time-honored favorites and unveil brand new surprises set to holiday tunes and incorporating ballet, tap, jazz, and swing.

Smuin concludes its quarter-century celebration with a tribute to founder Michael Smuin and his vibrant works set to the music of George and Ira Gershwin, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, and others. The Best of Smuin will feature the return of timeless favorites such as the red-hot chair solo "Fever," along with highlights from Dancin' With Gershwin and more. Sharing the bill is the smashing world premiere of "Renaissance" by master dancemaker Amy Seiwert, honoring Michael's legacy as an innovator in ballet, dance, and beyond.

Smuin makes the holidays sizzle with its annual yuletide celebration of dance, The Christmas Ballet. With a stunning and original array of ballet, tap, and jazz, this joyous showcase of styles offers both sugar and spice, with the surprise unwrapping of new treats every year. The 2017 edition of The Christmas Ballet features three saucy world premieres one by acclaimed Choreographer-in-Residence Amy Seiwert, another created by Smuin dancer Rex Wheeler, and a debut number choreographed by dancer Erica Felsch. An exuberant holiday treat that was declared the finest toast to the season by the San Francisco Chronicle last year, The Christmas Ballet will tour the Bay Area, beginning with shows in Walnut Creek (November 17-18), continuing in Carmel (December 1-2) and Mountain View (December 6-10), and wrapping up with its annual holiday run at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco (December 14-24). Tickets ($25-$89) are available by calling the individual venues (see below for details) or visiting www.smuinballet.org.

Admired for their versatility on stage, Smuin Ballet dancers invite audiences to experience their talents as choreographers and more when Smuin Ballet presents its 2016 Choreography Showcase. This rare opportunity allows patrons to join Smuin dancers Cara Cooper, Erica Felsch, Rachel Furst, Nicole Haskins, Weston Krukow, Ben Needham-Wood, Susan Roemer, and Rex Wheeler in the intimate ODC Theater, to view a showcase of their own choreography set on fellow company members. These new works, set to a wide range of music, also feature original lighting and costumes.

Smuin Ballet will kick off its 22nd Season September 18-October 4 with the Bay Area tour of Dance Series One.

Smuin Ballet will kick off its 22nd Season September 18-October 4 with the Bay Area tour of Dance Series One.

The Bay Area's hottest holiday ticket gets a 21st season kick when Smuin Ballet's The Christmas Ballet, Uncorked! makes its sassy return, a perfect gift for audience members of all ages. An ever-changing carousel of mischief and elegance, this enormously popular holiday celebration offers something for everyone, from ballet, tap, and swing to a wealth of other dances drawn from holiday traditions from around the world. This year The Christmas Ballet, Uncorked! includes new choreography from Smuin's acclaimed Choreographer-in-Residence Amy Seiwert, as well as debut pieces from dancers Ben Needham-Wood, Nicole Haskins, and Weston Krukow. Scroll down for a first look at the performers in action!