San Francisco Ballet

The San Francisco Ballet has a mission to provide a top caliber performance of dance, as well as training for dancers. They seek to be vital, innovative and diversified in their performances, while offering classical and traditional performances.

The ballet company has been operating since 1933. The first performances were Swan Lake and Nutcracker. They also had the first 20th century Coppelia, which has been a vital part of the company since those first days. Dancers such as the brothers Lew, William and Harold Christensen trained at the ballet. They offer roughly 100 performances annually both on a local and international level.

Currently the company is under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. Helgi took over the company in 1985. San Francisco Ballet is internationally recognized including many of their choreographers, production staff, and dancers. The ballet company has their own orchestra which was formed under the leadership of Denis de Coteau to be a worldwide recognized orchestra.

Ballets hosted at the center vary from year to year. For 2011 Giselle, the Little Mermaid, Nutcracker, and several mixed bill programs are provided. Mixed billing often means there are symphonic variations played like Symphony in C by Georges Bizet or Cesar Franck's symphonies.