Les Arts: Smuin Ballet

It is a war. A straight out battle. Enemy lines have been drawn. It's in my head, but it's a war nonetheless.

By now you know I'm a geeky nerdy science girl. That's just a given. But let's rewind. Go back in time, if you will. Back before the brain obsession, back before the memorization of all 206 bones in the human body, back before I was listening to my family's heartbeats with my very first stethoscope (as an aside I still totally do this and totally still get a kick out of it hehe!)....there was a little girl...in a tutu. And this tutu wearing little girl marched her tiny hiney (it was so tiny and perky in those days) on stage and danced her heart out to the hukilau. Yes, the hukilau. That's all it took. The lights on my face, the audience, the excitement, the adrenaline. I.was.hooked. I was also 5, but whatever. A girl always knows what she wants. Unless she changes her mind. And that's ok too. From that point on I started a love affair with dance and the stage. I found any excuse to get on stage and perform. Sometimes the stage was in my living room subjecting my poor family to my "creative" masterpieces, but that's neither here nor there. Don't feel sorry for them. I was cute. I swear. Most of the time.

Wow, that was a long winded way of explaining how incredibly special this post is to me. I was given such a wonderful opportunity last weekend (by this wonderful friend of mine) to photograph one of San Francisco's premiere dance companies, the Smuin Ballet, rehearsing for their Spring 2010 show "French Twist" choreographed by Ma Cong. You will be hearing this man's name more and more, trust me! He is an incredible artist with amazing insight, vision, musicality, and creativity. Ma has won numerous dance awards all over the globe and was named one of the "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in January 2006 for his dancing and choreography.

We were graciously invited into a closed door rehearsal by Smuin Ballet's Artistic Director, Celia Fushille (who is just divine might I add). Oh the magic that ensued...

The dancers receiving instruction from Ma.

The athleticism required for this piece is insane! Look at those bodies!

It was insane how beautiful these dancers were.

Ma is very hands on and I think the dancers really appreciate that.

He's also not afraid to demonstrate exactly what he wants.

Creative genius brewing between artistic director Celia Fushille and choreographer Ma Cong.


Inspired by Tom and Jerry cartoons, Ma Cong's French Twist, danced by Smuin Ballet, opens May 7th, 2010 in San Francisco. For a more detailed review and a video of the rehearsal visit the Saturday Matinee blog.

For more information on tickets and show times visit the Smuin Ballet homepage.

A special thank you to Celia, Ma and the Smuin ballet dancers for allowing us to intrude on their rehearsal and for sharing the creative process of French Twist!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go dig up my old tutu and point shoes...and get my hukilau on!