Smuin Contemporary Ballet

Smuin Ballet strives to bring the enjoyment of dance to new and established audiences by presenting works of uncompromising quality that extend and enrich the art form. Each year, the company performs more than seventy shows in four home cities across Northern California and reaches more than 35,000 people. The company has primarily performed the work of its late founder, Michael Smuin, who blended the diverse vocabularies of ballet and contemporary and popular dance, creating an easy entry point for new audiences. Strong artistic and executive leadership is ensuring that the company continues to expand its repertoire beyond the founder’s work while maintaining his choreography in all programs.

Smuin Ballet presents works of uncompromising quality that extend and enrich the art form. Each year the company performs more than seventy shows in four home cities across Northern California, reaching more than 35,000 people. Founded by the late Michael Smuin, the company has primarily performed its founder’s work, which blends the vocabularies of ballet, contemporary, and popular dance; in recent years, new commissions have begun to expand the company’s artistic voice. Renewed support would help the organization continue its momentum, both organizationally and onstage, as it strengthens its infrastructure, explores the feasibility of opening a ballet school, and broadens its audiences.