Can you hear the “slay” bells ringing? Smuin Contemporary Ballet is kicking off the holidays in San Francisco with The Christmas Ballet, December 14–24 at the Blue Shield of California Theater. Smuin’s annual holiday program gets a twist with special guest Lady Camden for its annual LGBTQ+ Night performance on Tuesday, December 19. This one-night-only performance celebrating the queer community near and far features everything from ballet to tap, jazz, and swing. Just what you need this holi-gay season!
A fan favorite and first runner-up on season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Lady Camden is the drag alter ego of former Smuin artist Rex Wheeler—a dancer, actor, and choreographer who previously performed with and choreographed for Smuin.
Hailing from across the pond, Wheeler attended the Royal Ballet School and devoted his early career to mastering classical repertoire. After seeing Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet, he saw that classical ballet could be adapted and expanded to encompass a wide variety of modern dance. He declared: “It looked like such fun. I want to dance like that!”
After a successful career dancing with (and choreographing for) Smuin, Wheeler began performing as Lady Camden around San Francisco at mainstays such as Hamburger Mary’s, Oasis, and Beaux. She rose to worldwide acclaim following her appearance on season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, before embarking on a worldwide tour as a featured performer on RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World.
Now, San Francisco’s very own British Queen is home for the holidays! Offering an irresistible combo of British sauce and American pie—plus tons of talent to boot—Lady Camden will host and “werk” the stage in this extra-special edition of The Christmas Ballet.
The festive alternative to The Nutcracker was created more than 25 years ago by company founder Michael Smuin, who declared he was going to set dances to all different types of holiday songs, from popular melodies to multi-denominational songs. Each year, fans of The Christmas Ballet can look forward to pieces such as the slinky “Santa Baby” trailing the world’s longest feather boa, or a tropical oasis in “Christmas Island.”
The lineup changes year to year, with new numbers unveiled every season (this year unwraps two world premieres by Smuin Associate Artistic Director Amy Seiwert and former company dancer Nicole Haskins). For the LGBTQ+ Night performance of Smuin’s irrepressible holiday show, the company has created special programming and casting that celebrate the vibrant LGBTQ+ community. Plus, Lady Camden will step into the red-hot heels of the iconic “Santa Baby” role, which was originated by Smuin Artistic Director Celia Fushille and has since been passed on to other dancers.
The festivities won’t end when the curtain goes down. Follow the procession of revelers to the YBCA Grand Lobby across the plaza for an official Afterparty, hosted by the Imperial Council of San Francisco and Lady Camden herself. With a bar donated by Casa San Matias Tequila, attendees will enjoy specialty cocktails, drag performances, photobooths, and dancing—including a featured line dance led by Sundance Saloon, an LGBTQ line dancing venue in Bayview. This is one holiday party you won’t want to miss.
Each ticket purchased for LGBTQ+ Night will provide a donation to partner organizations that are doing work in and for the queer community. “I think it’s important for us to support local organizations each year, to raise funds and spread awareness about the incredible work they do,” says Fushille.
This year, the company is proud to join forces once again with Project Open Hand, which brings meals to those in need, and the Imperial Council of San Francisco. Also receiving funds are Openhouse SF, which provides LGBTQ+ seniors with welcoming housing, resources, high-impact direct services, and innovative community programs; and the LGBT Asylum Project, the only San Francisco nonprofit organization dedicated to providing accessible legal representation for asylum seekers fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or HIV status.
Lady Camden’s sizzling “Santa Baby” performance will headline the LGBTQ+ Night performance of Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet at 7:30 pm, Tuesday, December 19, at the Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (700 Howard St, San Francisco). The full run of Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet is December 14–24. Tickets for LGBTQ+ Night and the Afterparty are available by calling 415-912-1899 or at https://tinyurl.com/mr3vr4hb
Arts & Entertainment
Published on December 7,2023
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