San Francisco Ballet - To The Pointe

San Francisco Ballet Association
  • 4.9 (27)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
San Francisco Ballet - To The Pointe

Need something to listen to on your way to the theater? Join Jennie Scholick, PhD as she hosts To the Pointe, for an in-depth but light-hearted exploration of an upcoming performance. Learn what to look for, what’s important, and what you need to know to get the most out of your experience.

  1. 03/11/2024

    To the Pointe: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a quick overview of George Balanchine's& A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hear about the ballet's creation in 1960s New York, revisit the story to figure out which dancer is Hermia and which one is Helena, and find out what to look for in this magical and mystical ballet!

    14 min

  2. 02/05/2024

    To The Pointe: Swan Lake

    Swan Lake may be the most iconic ballet in history. But despite its success today, the creation of Swan Lake in 19th-century Russia was far from smooth-sailing. For one, Tchaikovsky bristled at the idea of being labeled a “ballet specialist” like Ludwig Minkus, who would compose bars of music to spec: 8 bars of “happy” music for an entrance, or 16 bars of “dramatic” music for a finale, depending on the choreographer’s needs. Plus, the premiere of the ballet in Moscow was deemed a critical failure. Among all the challenges associated with its debut, how did this ballet find its wings and soar to success?

    19 min

  3. 05/15/2022

    To the Pointe: Cinderella

    Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a quick overview of Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©. Hear about the ballet’s creation, both in Soviet Russia and in San Francisco, revisit the story, and find out what to look for in this delightfully charming ballet! Header Photo: Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh in Wheeldon’s Cinderella // © Erik Tomasson

    18 min

  4. 05/01/2022

    To The Pointe: Romeo & Juliet

    Ah, yes: star-crossed lovers, show-stopping swordsmanship, and a tragic ending for the ages. On the surface, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet seems like a natural and easy fit for the balletic stage. But the conception of this now-classic ballet, which has only been around for about 80 years, came with a host of challenges for its composer, Sergei Prokofiev. In this episode of To The Pointe, learn about the USSR’s influence on the original ballet and how it’s morphed over time, landing at SF Ballet in 1994 when Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson put his own spin on the classic love story.

    16 min

  5. 04/20/2022

    To the Pointe: Nutcracker

    Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a deep dive into Nutcracker. Learn about this iconic ballet’s history, story, and what to look for.  Purchase Nutcracker Tickets

    18 min

  6. 04/28/2021

    To The Pointe: Program 05

    All You Need to Know About Program 05 Before You Watch Program 05 includes three ballets made expressly for San Francisco Ballet dancers: Helgi Tomasson’s 7 for Eight, Cathy Marston’s Snowblind, and David Dawson’s Anima Animus. In this episode of To The Pointe, learn about the job of a principal choreographer, hear from Cathy Marston and Principal Dancer Sarah Van Patten in their own words about creating Zeena in Snowblind, and discover more about the gender role play on display in Dawson’s Anima Animus. Like what you heard? Subscribe to our Meet the Artist podcast on Apple Podcasts to access archived episodes and have new ones delivered straight to your devices! This production was part of the 2021 Season Header Photo: San Francisco Ballet in Marston’s Snowblind // © Erik Tomasson

    15 min

  7. 03/26/2021

    To The Pointe: Jewels

    George Balanchine's Jewels comprises three ballets—Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds—that evoke the styles and moods of the United States, France, and Russia, respectively. Get to know a bit about Jewels, its creation in 1967, and what to look for in each ballet before this dazzling classic hits the screen on April 1 during SF Ballet's 2021 Digital Season.

    13 min

  8. 03/11/2021

    To the Pointe: Program 03

    Get a quick overview of the three ballets that make up Program 03: Ratmansky’s Symphony #9, Danielle Rowe’s Wooden Dimes, and Yuri Possokhov’s Swimmer.

    19 min
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4.9
out of 5
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Need something to listen to on your way to the theater? Join Jennie Scholick, PhD as she hosts To the Pointe, for an in-depth but light-hearted exploration of an upcoming performance. Learn what to look for, what’s important, and what you need to know to get the most out of your experience.

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