Smuin's 2018 Choreography Showcase Highlights Works By Dancers For Dancers

Smuin dancers will step into the spotlight as choreographers during Smuin's 2018 Choreography Showcase, utilizing fellow company members to bring their original ideas to life on stage in fresh new dances. This fascinating showcase of never-before-seen pieces-equal parts bold, lively, and curious-will be followed by a Q&A session, during which audience members can discuss the artistic process with the dancers and choreographers.

The eighth edition of Smuin's Choreography Showcase will be presented 7:30pm February 16, and 2pm February 17 at the Cowell Theater in Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco. Tickets ($33-$48) and information are available at www.smuinballet.org or by calling (415) 912-1899.

In this lively showcase, Smuin continues its tradition of supporting and developing breakthrough choreographic voices from within its company. Among the dancers who will be setting new works are accomplished choreographers Nicole Haskins, Ben Needham-Wood, and Rex Wheeler; all of whom have previously premiered their works on Smuin's mainstage to critical acclaim. Haskins was awarded the Fellowship Grant at the New York Choreographic Institute in 2011, and her choreography has been presented at the Los Angles Dance Invitational, the McCallum Theater's Dancing Under The Stars Choreographic Competition, and numerous Regional Dance America Festivals. Needham-Wood won the Northern California Area Emmy Award in 2016 for his co-creation of BaseBallet, a highly acclaimed dance documentary short, which was also featured at the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame. Wheeler has created works for organizations across the world, including Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Academy East, and Slovak National Ballet, among many others. He was also hand-selected as one of three choreographers to participate in the 2016 New York Choreographic Institute, where he collaborated with Juilliard composer Jared Miller.

For more than 20 years, Smuin has pushed the boundaries of contemporary ballet within a distinctly American style, engaging and delighting audiences with uncommon physicality and expression. Founded in San Francisco in 1994 by Tony and Emmy award-winning choreographer Michael Smuin, the company is committed to creating work that merges the diverse vocabularies of classical ballet and contemporary dance. As Artistic Director since 2007, Celia Fushille has maintained Michael Smuin's legacy while enriching the company's impressive repertoire by collaborating with inventive choreographers from around the world, commissioning world premieres, and bringing new contemporary choreographic voices to the Smuin stage.