A Legacy in Motion

Honoring the Artistic Directors of SF Ballet

San Francisco Ballet’s evolution as a creative force in the dance world has been driven by its visionary leaders. Since 1952, just four Artistic Directors have carried the torch, each leaving a distinctive mark on the company. This year’s Spring Festival will honor their legacy, featuring choreography that represents their contribution to SF Ballet’s rich history.

Lew Christensen (1952–1984)

A trailblazer in American ballet, Lew Christensen was the first American-born male principal dancer in a major ballet company. Under his leadership, SF Ballet grew from a regional troupe into a nationally recognized company. Christensen championed American choreography and helped nurture a uniquely West Coast ballet identity, laying a strong foundation for future growth.

This season the SF Ballet School Trainees are reviving Christensen’s Vivaldi Concerto Grosso, his 55th and final creation for the Company. Created in 1981, Christensen returned to the classical ideal of absolute dance, movement free from the associations of plot and manner. Vivaldi Concerto Grosso is sheer dance–Christensen’s most eloquent and lucid choreographic creation.

Michael Smuin (1973–1985, Co-Artistic Director)

Sharing the role with Christensen for over a decade, Michael Smuin brought theatrical flair and innovation to the company. Known for his cinematic style and crowd-pleasing works, Smuin expanded the company’s audience and repertoire, blending classical technique with contemporary storytelling that reached beyond traditional ballet-goers.

Onstage in Spring Festival, Smuin’s Quattro a Verdi was choreographed in admiration for Verdi’s operatic music and Marius Petipa’s classical (pas de deux) formula, and was designed to demonstrate the technical prowess of the dancers. It premiered on May 9, 1978, exactly 47 years to the date of its revival in Spring Festival!

Helgi Tomasson (1985–2022)

A former principal dancer with New York City Ballet, Helgi Tomasson transformed SF Ballet into one of the world’s leading ballet companies during his 37-year tenure. Under his guidance, the company became known for its blend of classical elegance and modern dynamism.

Tomasson’s Handel – A Celebration also returns to our stage. It had its world premiere in 1989 and comes full circle as original cast members including School Director Grace Holmes, Rehearsal Director and former Principal Dancer Joanna Berman, and Associate Artistic Director and former Principal Dancer Antonio Castilla, are all coaching the students in this revival work.

Tamara Rojo (2022–present)

Tamara Rojo is a celebrated leader and award-winning Principal Dancer who was appointed Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet in December 2022. She served as Artistic Director and Lead Principal of London’s English National Ballet (ENB) for nine and a half years. She was a principal dancer at The Royal Ballet for over a decade following a role as a principal at ENB. Her leadership signals a new chapter for the company—building on SF Ballet’s heritage by commissioning groundbreaking dance from today’s top choreographers, uncovering new choreographic talent, and staging modern classics and the works that make up the canon of classic ballet.

This season the company shared the North American premiere of Rojo’s Raymonda, and our students are worked hard to present an excerpt from this iconic work. Reimagined from Petipa’s timeless classic, it is set to Alexander Glazunov’s soaring score which will be performed in Spring Festival by the Grammy Award-winning SF Ballet Orchestra.

From Christensen’s pioneering spirit to Rojo’s fresh perspective, the Artistic Directors of San Francisco Ballet have each propelled the company forward while honoring its rich legacy. As the company enters its next era, one thing remains constant: a commitment to artistic excellence and evolution.

The SF Ballet School Spring Festival is May 9 & 10 at the War Memorial Opera House.

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