San Francisco Ballet s online opening night could have been cause for concern. Dance does not record well; how diminished a thing is this going to be?
Would they be ready? Would the dancers be out of shape? Would their technique have gone ragged? Had they have lost stage presence? Show signs of strain? Would long-time favorites dancers still be here? Would they be wearing masks of forced gaiety? And also, will they answer the questions of diversity and inclusion?
Yes they were ready. Yes, we have a Black ballerina, Nikisha Fogo, who danced ravishingly. Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson left Ms. Fogo s dancing to prove itself as the climax of the evening; but he set out to answer the readiness question immediately.
Rachel Howard January 15, 2021Updated: January 15, 2021, 6:21 pm
The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra under the direction of Music Director Martin West. Photo: San Francisco Ballet
Patrons prepared not by fastening their tuxedo cuff links but by downloading an app; the ribs bourguignon were served not piping hot in the War Memorial Opera House halls but reheated in the microwave after home delivery.
Yet there we were on Thursday, Jan. 14, for the opening gala of San Francisco Ballet’s 88th season, connected through our computer screens. There were the dancers, some with their spouses, in little Zoom boxes at virtual “tables,” free to socialize because their performances had been prerecorded.
Joshua Kosman December 23, 2020Updated: December 23, 2020, 4:26 pm
San Francisco Ballet dancers rehearse for choreographer Myles Thatcher’s untitled world premiere, which will be part of the company’s virtual benefit program. Photo: Erik Tomasson
The San Francisco Ballet plans to raise the curtain on its all-virtual 2021 season with a virtual benefit the first in the company’s history on Jan. 14.
The benefit program, titled “Leap Into the New Year,” is expected to be streamed on the event platform Socio and feature excerpts from the coming season, including premieres by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson and choreographers Danielle Rowe, Myles Thatcher and Cathy Marston.