Smuin Contemporary Ballet has a triumphant and colorful new program to delight audiences in Dance Series 2, performing April 25 through May 4 in San Francisco. Imagine great leaps set to Queen, arabesques to The Partridge Family, and a never-before-seen work from one of ballet’s most progressive thinkers. The program features a playful piece from Smuin alum Rex Wheeler, also known as Lady Camden from season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Artistic Director Amy Seiwert’s first world premiere at the helm of Smuin, a captivating display of showmanship from acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre, and a sensual archive piece from Michael Smuin. This exhilarating showcase of ballet’s next chapter should not be missed.
Dance Series 2 marks the close of Smuin’s first season under Artistic Director Amy Seiwert. “Our creative space is truly a sanctuary. It makes for an incredibly fertile ground to create work from, and to innovate from—and in doing so that means we get to move the language of ballet forward,” said Seiwert at the company’s recent Gala, held at the San Francisco Design Center on March 22. “This series embodies our company’s mission—to push creative boundaries, celebrate our roots, and captivate audiences with extraordinary storytelling.”
Former Smuin dancer Rex Wheeler, who charmed America as the first runner-up on season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, is a multifaceted creative force who also dazzles the Bay Area as a prodigious choreographer. Sinfonietta, his ballet featured in Dance Series 2, is a sprightly and playful rite of spring set to the enchanting strings of Tchaikovsky’s eponymous piece. Heralding the changing of the seasons, this blissful and breezy delight returns to the stage as a Smuin success story. Created for Smuin’s 2018 Choreography Showcase, followed by its debut on the Smuin mainstage, Sinfonietta perfectly encapsulates Smuin’s commitment to developing incredible new talent from within its own company.
A prolific contemporary voice in ballet, Trey McIntyre brings his lauded Wild Sweet Love to San Francisco for its Bay Area premiere. Featuring a genre-spanning track list including tunes from Queen, The Partridge Family, Mendelssohn, The Zombies, Lou Reed, and even a ranchera classic
from celebrated Mexican singer-songwriter José Alfredo Jimenez, Wild Sweet Love is a crackling display of McIntyre’s signature musicality and wry sense of humor in an electrifying exploration of love that’s indeed wild and sweet.
The world premiere by Amy Seiwert—dubbed “Ballet’s Mad Scientist” by PBS—is a profoundly personal work exploring the strength that comes from letting down one’s guard and revealing vulnerability. A tenacious and connected creator, Seiwert has a mission to deepen Smuin’s collaborative spirit as Artistic Director; that has been apparent throughout the company’s 24/25 season. She continues full steam ahead with this exciting work, steering Smuin into a bold new era with innovation at center stage. Her works have been praised by critics across the country, with The New York Times lauding her choreographic musicality and out-of-the-box
thinking.
Smuin’s future could not be possible without the statuesque legacy of its past. The Eternal Idol is a meticulously crafted masterpiece by founder Michael Smuin, with critics hailing it as “beautiful and moving.” A beloved classic in Smuin’s repertory, this delicate pas de deux is inspired by Auguste Rodin’s sculptures The Kiss and Eternal Idol, animated and brought to life against the slow movement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto in F Minor.
Smuin’s Dance Series 2 will perform April 25 through May 4 at the Blue Shield of California Theatre at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (700 Howard Street, San Francisco), followed by shows in Walnut Creek, Mountain View, and Carmel. Tickets and information are available online
(https://www.smuinballet.org/) or by calling 415-912-1899.
Arts & Entertainment
Published on April 10, 2025
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