The Christmas Ballet 2022 Digital Program
DEAR FRIENDS,
Greetings of the season!
Here at Smuin, preparing our holiday program is always a good reminder of the many reasons we have to be grateful. At the top of that list is our delight in having you join us in the theater!
Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet has become a holiday tradition for many. Whether this is your first time seeing The Christmas Ballet or you’ve seen all 28 editions, we hope you will revel in the romance, beauty, and humor that have been hallmarks since Michael Smuin’s 1995 production opened.
In addition to favorite dances from years past, we have two premieres to unwrap for you. In Act I, Smuin alumna Nicole Haskins returns to choreograph a soulful pas de deux that is a prayer for Ukraine. Amy Seiwert’s new ensemble piece in Act II is a lively holiday romp. From pristine classical ballet to jazz and tap set to holiday classics, we hope The Christmas Ballet is just what you’ve wished for this season.
From all of us at Smuin, we wish you a joyous season and a new year filled with good health and every blessing.
Enjoy the performance!
Celia Fushille
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
At this time, masks are strongly encouraged for audience members at all performances of Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet. Proof of vaccination is not required for these performances.
2022 Edition
Founder
Michael Smuin
Artistic Director
Celia Fushille
Managing Director
Lori Laqua
Company Manager & Wardrobe
Jo Ellen Arntz
Ballet Master & Education Program Director
Amy London
Production Director
Kathryn T. Graham
Costume Design
Sandra Woodall
Lighting Design
Michael Oesch
Scenic Design
Douglas Schmidt
Staff
Celia Fushille • Artistic Director
Lori Laqua • Managing Director
Jo Ellen Arntz • Company Manager & Wardrobe
Amy London • Ballet Master & Education Program Director
Alicia Tos • Development Director
Coral Bell • Development Operations Manager
Cassandra Brighter • Marketing Director
Maggie Carey • Digital Marketing Assistant
Claire Buehler • Digital Marketing Assistant
Aja De Coudreaux • Patron Services Manager
Jason Narin • Finance Associate
Ellen Gaintner • Special Projects Manager
Benjamin Warner • Community Engagement Manager
Kathryn T Graham • Production Director
Michael Oesch • Lighting Director
Taylor Ryan Rivers • Technical Director
Kay Park • Sound & AV Director
Alex Wolfthal • Stage Manager
Vincent Avery • Wardrobe Assistant
Carla Befera & Company • Publicist
Chris Hardy • Photography
Wuthmann Digital • Website
Artists
Brandon Alexander
Tessa Barbour
Ian Buchanan
Claire Buehler
Anthony Cannarella
Maggie Carey
Mengjun Chen
Ricardo Dyer
Cassidy Isaacson
Tess Lane
Marc LaPierre
Terez Dean Orr
Lauren Pschirrer
Alison Ramoran
Yuri Rogers
João Sampaio
Brennan Wall
Board of Trustees
Madeleine Boshart • President
Trisha Mount • Vice President
Karen D. Kadushin • Secretary
Hal Louchheim • Treasurer
Lee D. Baxter
Bruce Braden
Robert Challey
Celia Fushille
John Konstin
Linda Membreño, M.D.
John Schlag
Randy Soso
Susie Stitt
Emeriti
Patti Hume • Founding President
Vicki Fleishhacker
Robert Greenwood
Edie Kirkwood
John Murphy
Sue Steinberg
Allie Weissman (In Memoriam)
With Gratitude
Smuin is sponsored in part by San Francisco Grants for the Arts. Smuin also extends deep appreciation to the following for their generosity and support:
ACT 1: THE CLASSICAL CHRISTMAS
All choreography by Michael Smuin unless otherwise noted.
MAGNIFICAT
Music: J.S. Bach
Recording: Gachinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart;
Helmuth Rilling, Cond.
ZITHER CAROL
Music: Traditional Czech
Recording: Amor Artis Chamber Choir; Johannes Somary, Cond.
Sponsored by Loreli Trippel
FANTASIA
Choreography: Nicole Haskins
Music: Traditional
Recording: James Galway
PEACEFUL PRAYER
(World Premiere)
Choreography: Nicole Haskins
Music: Prayer for Ukraine by Oleksandr Konysky and Mykola Lysenko
Recording: Chanticleer
Sponsored by Dennis & Jan Ruby
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
Choreography: Tessa Barbour
Music: Traditional English
Recording: 101 Strings Orchestra
VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL
Music: Traditional French
Recording: Taverner Consort, Choir and Players; Andrew Parrott, Dir.
EXCELSIS
Choreography: Rex Wheeler
Music: Antonio Vivaldi (from Gloria in D Major)
Recording: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge and the Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury, Cond.
FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN
Music: G.F. Handel (from Messiah)
Recording: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; Nicolas McGegan, Cond.
AVE MARIA
Music: Franz Schubert
Recording: Nana Mouskouri
Sponsored by Friends of Smuin, in memory of Bud & Georgia Taglio
HERE WE COME A-WASSAILING
Choreography: Jane Rehm
Music: Traditional
Recording: Canadian Brass
LA VIRGEN LAVA PAÑALES
Music: Traditional Spanish
Recording: Placido Domingo
THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE WASSAIL
Music: Traditional English
Recording: The Waverly Consort; Michael Jaffee, Dir.
Sponsored by Dan & Allyn Carl
LICHT BENSH’N “CANDLE BLESSING”
Music: Traditional Jewish
Recording: Moscow Ensemble of Jewish Music; Victor Kenzon, Dir.
Sponsored by Paul G. Smith & Gail Erwin
DOBRA NOTSCH “SLEEP WELL”
Music: Traditional Jewish
Recording: Moscow Ensemble of Jewish Music; Victor Kenzon, Dir.
JOY TO THE WORLD
Choreography: Nicole Haskins
Music: Traditional English
Recording: Philadelphia Orchestra; Eugene Ormandy, Dir.
INTERMISSION
ACT 2: THE COOL CHRISTMAS
All choreography by Michael Smuin unless otherwise noted.
CHRISTMAS IN NEW ORLEANS
Music: Richard Sherman & Joe Van Winkle
Recording: Louis Armstrong with Benny Carter’s Orchestra
DRUMMER BOY
Music: Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati & Harry Simeone
Recording: Lou Rawls
I PRAY ON CHRISTMAS
Choreography: Amy Seiwert
Music & Recording: Harry Connick Jr.
SANTA BABY
Music: Joan Javits, Phil Springer, Tony Springer
Recording: Eartha Kitt
In memory of Kevin McCoy
BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
Music: Frank Loesser
Recording: Ray Charles & Betty Carter
DROOPY LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE
Music & Recording: Benny Martin
Sponsored by Louise Gould
PRETTY PAPER
Music & Recording: Willie Nelson
Sponsored by Marcia McConnell
THE CHRISTMAS SONG
Choreography: Erica Felsch
Music: Robert Wells & Mel Tormé
Recording: Nat King Cole
IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS
Choreography: Tessa Barbour
Music: Meredith Willson
Recording: Johnny Mathis
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (World Premiere)
Choreography: Amy Seiwert
Music: Traditional English Christmas Carol
Recording: Straight No Chaser
Sponsored by Gil & Ann Berkeley
BELLS OF DUBLIN
Music & Recording: The Chieftains
Sponsored by Karen Kadushin
THE BLACKVILLE REEL
Music & Recording: The Chieftains
LA CALANDRIA
Music: Nicandro Castillo
Recording: Linda Ronstadt
CHRISTMAS TREE ROCK
Choreography: Rex Wheeler
Music: Johnny Marks
Recording: Brenda Lee
Sponsored by Dennis & Jan Ruby
WHITE CHRISTMAS
Music: Irving Berlin
Recording: Bing Crosby
with Ken Darby Singers & John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra
Sponsored by Gregory & Joanne Giffra
Special thanks to Andrew Etherington, our season snow sponsor.
Casting
Performance casting is announced the day before each show and may change by venue.
December 14-24, 2022: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard Street, San Francisco
Casting for December 20, 2022: LGBTQ+ Night
—
Past Performances
Casting for San Francisco December 14-18 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Casting for Carmel December 9-10 2022 at Sunset Center
November 19-20, 2022: Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek
Casting for Walnut Creek: click to open, download or print
December 1-4, 2022: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View
Casting for Mountain View: click to open, download or print.
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Artist Profiles
Brandon Alexander
BRANDON ALEXANDER, originally from Houston, Texas, received his training with Lori Amare and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. He has danced with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Rochester City Ballet, Teater Vanemuine Ballet in Estonia, and Ballet Hagen in Germany. During his career he has danced works by Cayetano Soto, Itzik Galili, Riccardo De Nigris, Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Giorgio Madia, Jamey Leverett, and Silas Stubbs among others. Alexander joined Smuin in 2020.
Meet the Artist
Tessa Barbour
TESSA BARBOUR, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, trained at Alwin School of the Dance before studying abroad in Warrington, England on a scholarship awarded to her at the Cecchetti International Competition. She has danced with New Mexico Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and San Diego Ballet. Her favorite past performances include Man in Black by James Kudelka and Indigo by Stanton Welch. Since joining Smuin in 2016, Barbour has performed works by Val Caniparoli, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Trey McIntyre, Helen Pickett, and Amy Seiwert.
Meet The Artist
Ian Buchanan
IAN BUCHANAN hails from Fairfax, California, where he trained with Dance Theatre Seven. He has danced with Houston Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, Rochester City Ballet, and Alberta Ballet. Buchanan has performed works by Jiří Kylián, Stanton Welch, Ma Cong, Ben Stevenson, Wen Wei Wang, Aszure Barton, Jean Grand-Maître, Julia Adam, Denise Clarke, and Leiland Charles. Buchanan joined Smuin in 2018.
Meet The Artist
Claire Buehler
CLAIRE BUEHLER is from Milwaukee, WI and trained at the Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy. She danced with Oklahoma City Ballet’s Studio Company, Nashville Ballet II, and Minnesota Ballet before joining Smuin. Her favorite past performances include Cygnets in Swan Lake and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker, as well as contemporary works by Paul Vasterling, Gina Patterson, and Chris Stuart. Since joining Smuin in 2021, Claire has been featured in Excelsis, a new work for Christmas Ballet by Rex Wheeler and in Amy Seiwert’s Been Through Diamonds.
Maggie Carey
MAGGIE CAREY, of Dayton, Ohio, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance from Butler University, where she performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, and Paul Taylor. Upon graduating, Carey performed as a guest artist with the Dayton Ballet. She spent two years with the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company, performing works by Victoria Morgan, George Balanchine, Ohad Naharin, and working with choreographers such as Garrett Smith, Nicolo Fonte, and Jennifer Archibald. Carey joined Smuin in 2018.
Meet The Artist
Mengjun Chen
MENGJUN CHEN, a native of Wenzhou, China, trained at the Beijing Dance Academy and Joffrey Ballet Academy of Dance. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Beijing Dance Academy, he joined Milwaukee Ballet where he performed major roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Cinderella, Dracula and La Boheme. Chen also performed contemporary works by Matthew Neenan, Gabrielle Lamb, Ma Cong, Amy Seiwert and Val Caniparoli. In 2014, he was a finalist in the USA International Ballet Competition. Chen joined Smuin in 2015.
Meet The Artist
Ricardo Dyer
RICARDO DYER is a native of Panama based out of New York City. In 2011, he graduated from the dance department at The Governors School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia. He earned a degree in Dance Performance from Butler University where he performed extensively with Butler Ballet. After graduation, Dyer danced with Elements Contemporary Ballet, Charlottesville Ballet, and Ballet Memphis. Some of his favorite works performed include Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie and Square Dance, as well as Trey McIntyre’s Memphis. Dyer joined Smuin in 2019.
Cassidy Isaacson
CASSIDY ISAACSON, originally from Redmond, Washington, trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet before joining Grand Rapids Ballet Company at age 16. Some favorite works performed during her eight years at Grand Rapids Ballet include Trey McIntyre’s Wild Sweet Love, Alejandro Cerrudo’s Extremely Close, Penny Saunders’ In Frame and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Written and Forgotten. Isaacson joined Smuin in 2019.
Meet The Artist
Tess Lane
TESS LANE trained at South Bay Ballet in Torrance, CA, performing Robert Kelly’s Summertime at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MI. While apprenticing with Sacramento Ballet, she performed works by George Balanchine, Ron Cunningham, and Lila York. Lane joined California Ballet Company in 2013 and was featured in Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well as Septime Webre’s Peter Pan, The Great Gatsby, and Fluctuating Hemlines. She also danced in the National Choreographers’ Initiative in 2017 and 2018. Lane joined Smuin in 2018.
Meet The Artist
Marc LaPierre
MARC LAPIERRE began his early training at Ballet Etudes in Norwalk CT under the direction of Nanette Vallas. While at Ballet Etudes he trained closely with Christina Fagundes. He then attended Ballet Academy East in New York City under the direction of Darla Hoover and at age 16, Marc furthered his training at The School of American Ballet. He then went on to dance with Los Angeles Ballet, where he had the pleasure of dancing works by August Bournonville, George Balanchine, Aszure Barton and Alejandro Cerrudo. Two years later he joined Oregon Ballet Theatre as an apprentice and was promoted to the Company corps de ballet in his second season. During his time with OBT, he danced works by Alvin Ailey, Ben Stevenson, Nicolo Fonte, Christopher Stowell, and Trey MyIntyre. LaPierre joined Smuin in 2021.
Terez Dean Orr
TEREZ DEAN ORR, originally from Hudson Valley, New York, received her training at the prestigious School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. In 2005, she joined the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara, dancing a wide range of contemporary and classical works. Dean Orr joined Smuin in 2008 and has been featured in works by Jiří Kylián, Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, Helen Pickett, Amy Seiwert, Ma Cong, Adam Hougland, and Michael Smuin. While dancing full time, she received her BA through the Saint Mary’s College LEAP program.
Meet The Artist
Lauren Pschirrer
LAUREN PSCHIRRER graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and apprenticed at Rochester City Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet. While with the Joffrey, she danced works by Sir Frederick Ashton, Michael Pink, and George Balanchine. With Ballet Memphis, Pschirrer performed works by Matthew Neenan and Gabrielle Lamb. She also originated roles during the National Choreographers Initiative in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Pschirrer joined Smuin in 2016, and has performed in works by Val Caniparoli and Helen Pickett, and featured roles in Amy Seiwert’s Broken Open and Falling Up.
Meet The Artist
Alison Ramoran
Alison Ramoran trained at South Bay Ballet (now known as Ballet California) in Torrance, CA, under the instruction of Diane Lauridsen. In 2017 she received the Daily Breeze “Making a Difference Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Arts” by the California Legislature Assembly at the Torrance Performing Arts Consortium. Upon graduating in 2018, she was given a contract with Oklahoma City Ballet’s second company. She was then promoted to apprentice in 2020, and corps de ballet in 2021. While there, she performed works by August Bournonville & Michael Pink, and was featured in ballets by Septime Webre, Robert Mills, Ryan Nye, Nicolo Fonte, Jerome Robbins, and Jessica Lang. Ramoran joined Smuin in 2022.
Portrait by Shevaun Williams
Photos by Jana Carson and Kate Luber
Yuri Rogers
YURI ROGERS began his training with the Academy of Ballet San Francisco under the direction of Richard Gibson and Zory Karah. He then had the opportunity to continue his training and perform with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Grand Rapids Ballet, and BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. Rogers has performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Leiland Charles, and Edwaard Liang. Rogers joined Smuin in 2021.
João Sampaio
JOÃO SAMPAIO trained in classical ballet in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil under Ana Palmieri and Romulo Ramos. He has won national and international dance competitions, including the Youth America Grand Prix and the World Ballet Competition. Sampaio joined Tulsa Ballet in 2014, where he performed featured roles in Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, Wayne McGregor’s Infra, Nacho Duato’s Remanso, Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table, Yuri Possokhov’s Classical Symphony, and Edwaard Liang’s Romeo and Juliet and Age of Innocence. In 2018, he joined Festival Ballet Providence, performing lead roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker. Sampaio joined Smuin in 2019.
Portrait by Maggie Carey
Photos by Chris Hardy
Brennan Wall
Brennan Wall, originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, studied at Los Angeles Ballet Academy. She danced with Silicon Valley Ballet (previously Ballet San Jose) as a trainee before joining The New Ballet’s Studio Company. In 2017, Wall joined Ballet de Monterrey under director José Manuel Carreño. She performed in Luis Serrano’s La Bayadere, Swan Lake, and Don Quijote, and danced soloist roles in The Nutcracker, Alberto Méndez’s Phantom of the Opera, and Diego Landin’s Shorthand of Emotion. Wall joined Smuin in 2019.
Meet The Artist
Choreographer and Designer Profiles
TESSA BARBOUR | CHOREOGRAPHER
Tessa Barbour began her choreographic endeavors during her first season with Smuin in 2015. Since then Barbour has created a multitude of works for Smuin’s Choreography Showcase, The Christmas Ballet and virtual dance films, showcasing her versatility in tap and neoclassical ballet. She has also created ballet and jazz pieces on her students at Marin Dance Theatre. In 2021, Jettison Creative invited Barbour to be their first artist in residence as director and choreographer of a short film project. Barbour looks forward to future opportunities as she develops her choreographic skills, voice and style.
ERICA FELSCH | CHOREOGRAPHER
Erica Felsch began her professional training at North Carolina School of the Arts, and went on to attend the pre-professional program at San Francisco Ballet. She has performed with Colorado Ballet, Madison Ballet, Nova Ballet, North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Performance Series, Sierra Nevada Ballet, and Ballet Arizona. Erica was featured in commercials, print ads, and an episode of Disney’s “Shake It Up”. She has originated roles in world premieres by Adam Hougland, Helen Pickett, Val Caniparoli and Garrett Ammon, and performed pieces by Michael Smuin, Jiří Kylián, Trey McIntyre, Darrell Moultrie, and many more.
NICOLE HASKINS | CHOREOGRAPHER
Nicole Haskins, originally from Venice Beach, California, danced professionally with Sacramento Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Smuin Contemporary Ballet, retiring in 2019. Her choreographic career also flourished, including commissions for Sacramento Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Dayton Ballet, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Her choreography has been presented at the Los Angeles Dance Invitational, the McCallum Theater’s Dancing Under The Stars Choreographic Competition, and regional festivals. She was one of the 2017 winners of Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Choreography XX competition, participated in the New York Choreographic Institute, receiving the Institute’s Fellowship Grant in 2011 and the Institute’s Commission Initiative in 2017. Haskins has recently returned to the Bay Area where she’s teaching at several studios.
MICHAEL OESCH | LIGHTING DESIGNER
Michael is a professional lighting designer for dance, theatre, operas, and musicals. Since joining Smuin in 2004, he has designed the lighting for The Christmas Ballet, The Turntable, Be Here Now, The Poetry of Being, Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino, Madness, Rack, & Honey, Oh, Inverted World, and Fly Me to the Moon, as well as many more Smuin Ballet productions. He also designs lighting for other companies throughout the Bay Area, where his designs have won a Theatre Bay Area award, Shelly Award, and he has been nominated for BATCC Awards, and an Isadora Duncan Award. See more of his work at Michaeloesch.com
DOUGLAS SCHMIDT | SCENIC DESIGNER
For the past 50 years, Schmidt has designed for film, television, arena, and theme park presentations, as well as more than 200 productions for Broadway, Off Broadway, regional theaters, and major opera companies in the U.S. and Europe. His Broadway credits include the original productions of Grease and Frankenstein. In 2015, he received the United States Institute for Theatre Technology Award for Distinguished Achievement in Scene Design and The Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design.
JANE HOPE REHM | CHOREOGRAPHER
Jane Hope Rehm (she, her) native to Perrysburg, Ohio received her training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet School. Rehm joined Ballet Memphis in 2001, where she both danced and began her choreographic pursuits. She went onto join Smuin Ballet in 2010, and was featured in works by Jiří Kylián, Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, Helen Pickett, and Amy Seiwert. While at Smuin, she had the opportunity to create new choreographic works in the Choreography Showcase and The Christmas Ballet. Jane finished her career dancing for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Post:Ballet, and Julia Adam Dance. She now lives in west Sonoma County, and is grateful for any time spent in Smuin company – past, present and future.
AMY SEIWERT | CHOREOGRAPHER
Amy Seiwert worked with her mentor Michael Smuin for eight of her nine years as a dancer with Smuin. As the San Francisco Guardian wrote, “She quite possibly is the Bay Area’s most original dance thinker.” Named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine, her first full evening of choreography was named one of the “Top 10” dance events of 2007 by the San Francisco Chronicle. Her work is in the repertory of Washington, Atlanta, Oakland, Sacramento, Colorado, Louisville, Cincinnati, Carolina, Oklahoma City, Dayton, Milwaukee, and American Repertory Ballets, as well as Smuin, BalletMet, AXIS Dance, Robert Moses’ KIN, and Ballet Austin.
REX WHEELER | CHOREOGRAPHER
Rex Wheeler, AKA Lady Camden, is originally from London, England, and trained at the Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst School for Dance. After dancing with Birmingham Royal Ballet as a student, he performed with Slovak National Ballet and Sacramento Ballet before dancing with Smuin from 2015-2018. A San Francisco-based choreographer and a founding member of Capital Dance Project, Wheeler has created works for many organizations across the country including Sacramento Ballet, Richmond Ballet, the New York Choreographic Institute, and Smuin Contemporary Ballet.
SANDRA WOODALL | COSTUME DESIGNER
Sandra Woodall has contributed scenic and costume designs to San Francisco Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, National Ballet companies of Finland, Georgia and Norway, State Opera Ballet of Austria, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Houston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, and Singapore Dance Theatre, among others. Recent productions include visual design of Winter Journey (Beijing), written by Wan Fang, director, Stan Lai; Camino Real (Atlanta Ballet) choreographed by Helen Pickett; and Be Here Now, choreographed by Trey McIntyre for Smuin.
Company Profiles
MICHAEL SMUIN | Founder & Choreographer
An American master, the late Michael Smuin began his career as a dancer performing with San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and on Broadway. A Tony and Emmy award-winning choreographer, Smuin brought a signature style to his work on stage, in film, and on television. A maverick, he fearlessly blended the theatrical with classical and popular styles, combining elements drawn from his vast stage experience. Smuin’s works continue to dazzle and entertain contemporary audiences. His company, Smuin, was founded in 1994 to showcase his creative versatility and unique vision. The Company maintains his legacy today.
Celia Fushille
Artistic Director
Celia Fushille has served as Artistic Director of Smuin Contemporary Ballet since 2007. From 2008-2014 she also served as Executive Director of the company. A founding member of Smuin Ballet and its principal dancer for more than 12 years, Fushille worked closely with company founder Michael Smuin. In a performing career spanning 25 years, Fushille appeared on stages in the U.S. and Europe, on television and in film. As Artistic Director, Fushille has created her own vision for the company while maintaining Michael Smuin’s legacy. She has expanded the repertoire of the company by commissioning 18 world premieres and including the work of renowned choreographers. Increasing the company’s stability and place in the arts community of San Francisco, she realized a 10-year goal with the company’s move into its permanent home in 2019. For the last decade Fushille has been part of the national discussion addressing diversity, equity and inclusion among leaders of U.S. dance companies. Fushille sits on the board of Dance/USA and is chair of the Artistic Directors’ Council for Member Companies with budgets of $3 million and greater. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (summa cum laude) from Saint Mary’s College of California.
Lori Laqua
Managing Director
Lori Laqua brings 30+ years of experience to her role as Managing Director of Smuin Contemporary Ballet. Laqua oversaw the renovation of Smuin Center for Dance, the organization’s permanent home, which joined the rehearsal studios and administrative offices under one roof for the first time. Laqua previously served as project manager for the design and construction of the ODC Dance Commons and the ODC Theater during her 20 years there. She is especially pleased to have kept Smuin dancing during the pandemic having utilized the CARES Act and grant programs to help retain employees and to present programming on new platforms. Laqua holds a PhD (ABD) and MArch in Architectural History from the University of Virginia, a MA in Art History from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a BA in History and Art History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Laqua joined Smuin in 2017.
JoEllen Arntz
Company Manager and Wardrobe
Jo Ellen Arntz moved to San Francisco after receiving her BFA in dance from Creighton University (Omaha, Nebraska). She danced with San Francisco Ballet from 1981-1991 and has been teaching dance in the Bay Area since 1977, recently celebrating 20 years on faculty at Marin Dance Theater. She began at Smuin as Wardrobe Supervisor in 1996 and became Company Manager shortly thereafter. Working with Michael Smuin at San Francisco Ballet and later his own company prepared her for the multiple hats she wears in the organization today.
Amy London
Ballet Master and Education Program Director
Amy London received her training in her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Karen Alwin and Shauna Bereska. She danced with Hartford Ballet, Diablo Ballet, and Smuin Ballet. Her favorite Smuin roles included: Eternal Idol, Q.a.V. and Hearts Suite. She has served on faculty for schools throughout the Bay Area and as Artistic Coordinator at Marin Ballet, where she has choreographed more than 20 works. As Smuin’s Ballet Master, she enjoys preserving Michael Smuin’s legacy, as well as collaborating with and being the caretaker of the works of Val Caniparoli, Trey McIntyre, Amy Seiwert, Ma Cong, Helen Pickett, Adam Hougland, Choo-San Goh, and Jiří Kylián. As the inaugural Education Program Director for Smuin Center for Dance, she oversees its successful community engagement, outreach and faculty development.
Kathryn T Graham
Production Director
KT Graham joined Smuin Ballet in 1997 after working as Production Stage Manager and Lighting Designer for Lewitzky Dance Company in Los Angeles, as well as Technical & Lighting Director for Washington Ballet in Washington, D.C. with whom she toured extensively both nationally and internationally. She also engages in freelance projects and has particularly enjoyed serving as Production Stage Manager for Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Dances from the Heart benefits for The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, and for the National Dance USA showcase in 2012.
CREDITS
COMPANY TEACHERS
Sandra Chinn
Robin Dekkers
Celia Fushille
Nicole Haskins
Xiao Liu-Moore
Amy London
Rika Onizuka
Amy Seiwert
Julianne Spratlin
Erik Wagner
COMPANY PIANISTS
Raymond Fabrizio
Lynn Inglese
Donald White
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
Ann Beck Dance & Specialty Costumes
JRA Designs & Alterations
Vincent Avery
CMC & design
Valeri Clark
Thiem Ma
Birgit Pfeffer
Joan Pino
SPECIAL THANKS
Richard Binkoff
Andrew Etherington
Ted Helminski
James Horio
SCENERY CONSTRUCTION
Kathy Andrews, John Murray Productions
WELLNESS TEAM
THERAPISTS
Suzanne Martin DPT
Shirley Kollmann
CHIROPRACTORS
John DeRoy
Leonard Stein
Allen Wood
ACUPUNCTURISTS
Stephen Coleman
Devin Wu
Kristina Yotive
MASSAGE THERAPISTS
Carolyn Hart
Yueming Li
VISITING PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
Elizabeth Maple DPT
Aimee Martel DPT
Meaghann Oakes-Rust DPT
Robin Tobias DPT
ORTHOPEDIC & PHYSICAL THERAPY
Dr. Michael Dillingham SOAR
Dr. Jeffrey Mann, Cal Sports and Orthopaedic Institute
Dr. Kevin Stone and The Stone Clinic
Dr. Alicia Knee, Center for Sports Medicine
Lisa Giannone, Active Care Physical Therapy
Jeffrey Cohen, Hilot Therapy
WITH OUR THANKS
Smuin is deeply grateful to the following individuals and organizations for their generosity. It is through their support that we are able to create innovative works and share the beauty of dance. This list acknowledges contributions made between August 1, 2021–October 24, 2022.
We’ve made every effort to ensure that our donor list is accurate. Please contact Coral Bell, Development Operations Manager at cbell@smuinballet.org or 415-556-5000, Ext. 104 with corrections.
Click here to add your name to our donor roster
A GIFT OF $50,000+
Bruce Braden
CalOSBA / CA Venues Grant Program
Julie Dickson
Dr. Richard & Sharonjean Leeds
Kevin M McCoy
David Meders
The Bernard Osher Foundation
San Francisco Chronicle
The Shubert Foundation
A GIFT OF $25,000+
Anonymous (3)
Daniel & Allyn Carl
Grants for the Arts
Edie Kirkwood
Dell Larcen & Ron Meserve
Hal & Carol Louchheim
Harvey Lynch
Dr. Linda Membreno
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A GIFT OF $10,000+
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A GIFT OF $2,500+
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A GIFT OF $1,000+
Anonymous (8)
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Patty McCrary Fehringer
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& Christopher Archuleta
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A GIFT OF $500+
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— in loving memory of Michael
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— in Memory of Lois Partridge
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A GIFT OF $150+
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Mrs. Martha C. Parriott
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Drew Robarts
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Dr. Chandran Shanmugam
Mr. Boris Shekhter
Mr. Sam Edward Singer
Jane Solomons
Lynne Stietzel
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Tobias Physical Therapy
Dillip Thakur
Alice Weigel — in Honor of Jason Narin
Ms. Jennifer Winch
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IN-KIND DONORS
Lee D. Baxter
Bay Area News Group
Richard Binkoff
D. John Miller
Grgich Hills Estate
KAZU
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Palo Alto Weekly
San Fransisco Chronicle
SF Bay Times
SF Gate
MATCHING GIFTS
Does your company match donations? Ask! It’s a great way to double your impact.
Adobe
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Charles Schwab & Co.
Chevron Texaco
Dodge & Cox
Dropbox
Genentech, Inc.
Google
IBM
Lam Research Foundation
LinkedIn
Morgan Stanley
Oracle
Union Bank Foundation
FRIENDS OF SMUIN
The Friends of Smuin is a social club of Smuin aficionados. We invite you to join us! To learn more, please contact Alicia Tos, Development Director, at atos@smuinballet.org.
Barbara Bessey
Richard Binkoff & Alan Crouch
Paula Blank
Lorinda Clemens
Pamela Rummage Culp
William (Bill) Gregory
Tracy Jaquier
Carol Kaganov
Debra Leylegian
Sam Leftwich
Susan Lowe
Lynn Luckow
Karen Maguire
Sharon Melodia
Vickie Nelson
Maureen O’Shea
Becky Pringle
Leslie Taglio
Kinman Tong
Lilian Wagner
Karen and Steve Wiel
Monique Yohanan
LEGACY CIRCLE
Please consider sharing your passion for innovative, evocative, contemporary ballet with future generations. By naming Smuin as a beneficiary in your estate plans and joining our Legacy Circle, your planned gift transforms your passion into a lasting legacy and investment into Smuin‘s future. We are deeply grateful to the following individuals for their generosity and forethought:
Anonymous
Jan & Dennis Adair
William Bason*
Bruce Braden
James Brennock
Patricia & Richard Campbell Mary Canning
Marilyn Charm
Clara Degen*
George Doubleday II*
Edmund Eger* & Lynn Spitler
Teren D. Ellison
Trisha Mount & Andrew Etherington
Frederic Freund*
Emily & Russell Fudge
Celia Fushille
Rudolph Glauser*
Beverly & Tom Gorley*
Marguerite E. Griffith*
Milan Milton Holdorf*
Mary Greer & Joie Hubbert*
Diane & Rob Johnson
Karen Kadushin
Carol & Alan* Kaganov
Joanna & Danny Kemper
John Lazlo & Robin Raborn
Dr. Richard & Sharonjean Leeds
Cliff Leventhal
Jan Loomis
Kevin McCoy*
David Meders
David & Violaine M’Raihi
Heidi Munzinger & John Shott
Deborah Ogden*
William Oman & Larry Crummer
Mary Jo Pace*
AnMarie Roache
Fred Saunders & Charles Kredensor
Dorothy Saxe
Barbara Schurhoff
Hal Segelstat
Ralph D. Sikes
Jeanette Sperry*
Jan Spielberger
Bert & LeAnne Steinberg
Susan & Michael Steinberg
Mike Tully
Lauri Vaughan*
Rosemary Welde
* deceased
Printable Program PDF
In order to be more conscious of our single-use materials, there are limited copies of our print program offered at the door this year. If you would like to ensure you have a physical copy, you have the option to print your own.
Click the button below to access a printable PDF of Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet program!
Printable Casting Sheets
We will also provide casting for our performances here. Click the link to open, view and print casting.
The Christmas Ballet casting for performances in Walnut Creek.
See you in the theater!
DECEMBER 20, 7:30 PM – LGBTQ+ NIGHT
Our holiday tradition returns!
Smuin’s annual The Christmas Ballet LGBTQ+ Night, returns to dazzle audiences with surprises and delights that celebrate our community.
Special guest star Lady Camden, the alter ego of Rex Wheeler, hosts the evening and steps into the red-hot heels of the iconic role “Santa Baby.” Every ticket purchased makes a donation to Project Open Hand, founded in 1985 to feed people with HIV/AIDS, providing nutritious meals with love to our sick and vulnerable neighbors in San Francisco and Oakland.
