City
Ballet Companies in San Francisco
San Francisco is home to 3 of the ballet companies we spotlight. Explore each one below.
San Francisco Ballet
Here is a great fact to drop at the barre: San Francisco Ballet is the oldest professional ballet company in the United States, and it staged the country's first full-length Nutcracker back in 1944. It has also become one of the most forward-looking, known for commissioning bold new work alongside the classics.
Smuin Contemporary Ballet
Smuin is the company for people who think they do not like ballet. Founder Michael Smuin built it around accessible, theatrical, often playful work that leans into music you actually recognize. It is Bay Area ballet with a loose collar.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet
LINES is where ballet gets really sculptural and searching. Founder and choreographer Alonzo King treats the body almost like architecture, and the results feel more like living art installations than story ballets. If you want contemporary work with real depth, this is the one.