company focus

Celia Fushille-Burke: Prima Ballerina Ready to Hang Up Her Slippers
By Mary Ellen Hunt - June 7, 2006, Walnut Creek, California
A founding member of the company, Fushille-Burke has long been Michael Smuin's muse and his mainstay, creating roles in some of his most memorable ballets ...
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Smuin Ballet - 'Revealing the Bridge,' 'Shinju,' 'Obrigado, Brazil'
By Katie Rosenfeld - October 14, 2006, Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
It is the cohesive, family feeling of this company that brings audiences back for more. The dancing is reliably precise and entertaining, the dancers themselves fully invested in every step, every port de bras.
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Smuin Ballet - 'Pacific Dances,' 'Chants d'Auvergne,' 'Frankie and Johnny': Smuin Presents Pretty Paean to the Pacific
By Mary Ellen Hunt - May 9, 2005, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
It's the first time the company has performed a major work from a choreographer outside the Smuin family, but in many ways it's not an unlikely acquisition
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Smuin Ballet - 'Starshadows,' 'Dumky,' 'Fly Me to the Moon': A Toe Tapping Evening at the Ballet
By Mary Ellen Hunt - October 11, 2004, Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
That Seiwert, one of the Bay Area's most intriguing young dance-makers, has a choreographic look entirely different from the Smuin house style is immediately apparent ...
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Smuin Ballet/SF - 10th Annivesary Retrospective: Razzle Dazzle Marks Smuin Ballet's 10 Anniversary
By Catherine Pawlick - April 30, 2004, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
After his departure as Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet, Michael Smuin's dream was to create a small, lean company with reasonable ticket prices that would spread the love of dance throughout the Bay Area, the United States, and abroad.
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Smuin Ballet - 'Les Noces,' 'Suite Gershwin,' 'Tango Palace': Smuin Delivers a Smart, Sassy Show
By Mary Ellen Hunt - February 9, 2004, Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, California
Longtime Smuin muse Fushille-Burke chose the music of Antonio Vivaldi to deftly showcase a more classical side of the company in "Three in Company."
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Smuin Ballet - 'Zorro': Swashbuckling 'Zorro' is Flashy and Fun
By Mary Ellen Hunt - May 5, 2003, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
Smuin Ballet's "Zorro!" has going for it pizzazz, schmaltz, cheez and other things that end in "z," the mark of you-know-who.
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Smuin Ballet - 'The Christmas Ballet': 'Christmas' is a Holiday Ballet Treat
By Mary Ellen Hunt - November 21, 2002, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
Frazzled holiday frenzy victims take note: If you need a little cheering up, and the "Nutcracker" isn't going to do it for you, check out Smuin Ballet's "The Christmas Ballet 2002"...
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Smuin Ballet/SF - 'Stabat Mater,' 'Bouquet,' 'Come Dance Me A Song'
By Catherine Pawlick - November 14, 2002, Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco
But Michael Smuin moved beyond purely classical forms fairly early on in his choreographing career, and he has been able to bring a perfect mix of classical ballet and theatrical showcasing to his homegrown company, Smuin Ballet, since its inception in 1994.
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Smuin Ballet - 'Stabat Mater,' 'Bouquet,' 'Come Dance Me a Song': Smuin's Season Opener is Strong
By Mary Ellen Hunt - November 11, 2002, Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
Although usually known for a brazenly entertaining style, the company strikes a decidedly minor key with this latest program, which features "Stabat Mater," artistic director Michael Smuin's response to Sept. 11...
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Smuin Ballet/SF - 'The Christmas Ballet'
By Lisa Claybaugh - December 18, 2001, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
Michael Smuin's middle name is diversity. This is a choreographer who one week is working on the new "Star Wars" film, the next week is in New York retooling some revival, and the next week is back in San Francisco creating a new ballet for his small company.
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