Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco — October 5, 2012
Smuin Ballet is one of my favorite dance companies here in the Bay Area, so I’d been eagerly awaiting their new season. And when they announced the return of Trey McIntyre‘s Oh, Inverted World (to the music of The Shins), I was over the moon, since I had missed its premiere in 2010. Their opening night last Friday did not disappoint. Once again, my collected tweets:
Starshadows (Smuin, Ravel): dreamy, meditative, acrobatic. Loved it. #smuinballet
— Jeff Tabaco (@jefftabaco) October 6, 2012
Jonathan Mangosing (I’m a fan as you know) in Homeless (Smuin, Paul Simon): soulful, powerful. #smuinballet
— Jeff Tabaco (@jefftabaco) October 6, 2012
Cold Virtues (Hougland, Glass): smoky, tense, cinematic. #smuinballet
— Jeff Tabaco (@jefftabaco) October 6, 2012
Behind-the-scenes video from Smuin Ballet with choreographer Adam Hougland, whose Cold Virtues was a highlight of the evening:
The pièce de résistance, Oh, Inverted World (@treymcintyre, @theshins): athletic, exuberant, cool. #smuinballet
— Jeff Tabaco (@jefftabaco) October 6, 2012
And guys in short shorts and tube socks? Can’t go wrong there. #smuinballet
— Jeff Tabaco (@jefftabaco) October 6, 2012
My partner, Thom, got in on the ballet word association as well. His words for Oh, Inverted World: quirky, sweaty, emo sport.
On the way out of the theater I couldn’t help posing the poster; I think this is becoming my ballet-going photo meme:
Smuin Ballet’s fall/winter program continues at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco through October 14 (discount tickets are available on Goldstar), and other Bay Area venues early next year. Also take a look at San Francisco Classical Voice’s review (“Smuin Ballet aims for unforgettable“), which covers all the bases. Below is the program with the opening-night cast I saw last Friday:
Smuin Ballet
Fall Program — October 5, 2012
Starshadows
Choreography: Michael Smuin
Music: Maurice Ravel
Jane Rehm and Jonathan Dummar
Janica Smith and Joshua Reynolds
Susan Roemer and Jared Hunt
Pause
No Viviré
Choreography: Michael Smuin
Music: The Gipsy Kings
Robin Semmelhack
Homeless
Choreography: Michael Smuin
Words and music: Paul Simon and Joseph Shabalala
Jonathan Mangosing
Intermission
Cold Virtues
Choreography: Adam Hougland
Music: Philip Glass
Terez Dean, Susan Roemer, Jonathan Powell, Joshua Reynolds
Bridgette Burnett, Erica Chipp, Robin Semmelhack, Janica Smith, Erin Yarbrough
Jonathan Dummar, Jared Hunt, Jonathan Mangosing, John Speed Orr, Christian Squires
Intermission
Oh, Inverted World
Choreography: Trey McIntyre
Music: The Shins
I. Susan Roemer, John Speed Orr, Jane Rehm, Robin Semmelhack, Erin Yarbrough, Jonathan Mangosing, Jonathan Powell, Christian Squires
II. Erin Yarbrough and Jonathan Mangosing
III. Jonathan Mangosing, Jonathan Powell, John Speed Orr, Christian Squires
IV. Jane Rehm with the Cast
V. Jane Rehm, Robin Semmelhack, Jonathan Powell, John Speed Orr
VI. Erin Yarbrough, Jonathan Mangosing, Christian Squires
VII. Jane Rehm with the Cast
VIII. John Speed Orr with the Cast
So sorry I’m missing this, sounds like a great program!
But I could have lived without the tube socks and athletic shorts – I know the aesthetic kind of goes with the music, but couldn’t the costume designer have come up with something equally fun and more attractive? In fact, while I’m griping… why do so many people choose to dance in shorts? It cuts the line of the leg and unless you have perfectly sized and toned thighs just highlights any imperfection…Hey, Jeff, how about a post on bad fashion choices in ballet? – I’d love to hear what a ballet geek has to say about that!
Oh! I love the SMUIN Ballet! My grandparents have been taking my cousins and me to the Christmas Ballet at the Yerba Buena Center every year since I was about 10. I’m seeing it again this year, but for the first time at the Livermore Bankhead Theater. Have you seen their Christmas Ballet? It’s not Christmas without it!
So happy to hear all the wonderful comments on Smuin Ballet! We are really excited for the 2012 edition of the Christmas Ballet!! Here’s a sizzle clip of the Christmas Ballet to hold you over until we open in Livermore on Nov. 23.