Smuin Ballet Celebrates The Season with “The Christmas Ballet”
By Darlene Jurow
The Christmas Ballet never gets old. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, there is always a lot that is new. While the premise remains the same, Act I is elegant and classical, and Act II is jazzy and fun, many of the individual pieces change each year keeping the ballet new.
The ballet opens with J.S. Bach’s “Magnificat”. The full ensemble is on stage, some wearing huge, brilliant, jewel-colored capes which are removed to reveal everyone in all white. The simple, diaphanous white skirts, and men’s shirts, with just a hint of sparkle, immediately turns the room into a winter wonderland.
“Fantasia” is a delightfully playful duet. Riu, Riu, Chiu, a traditional Spanish song, is a solo, as is the beautifully danced “Ave Maria” by Franz Shubert. “Dona Nobis Pacem” is a World Premier by Smuin’s artistic director Amy Seiwert and is set to traditional music. It’s lovely.
To lighten up, and slightly change the pace of the “classical” first act there are three charming pieces; “The Gloucestershire Wassail”, set to traditional English music (think Irish Jig), and two traditional Jewish songs “Licht Bensh’n” (Candle Blessing) an all-male piece with a Russian feel, and “Dobra Notsch” (Sleep Well), a romantic dream perhaps. The beautiful “Joy to the World”, danced by the entire ensemble, concludes the first half.
The second act, “The Cool Christmas”, opens with a slide show of children’s Christmas themed drawings shown against the curtains to the music of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’. I noticed some were from local schools. This is a wonderful way to set the mood for the Christmas “party” that followed. A cheerful red is the color theme for the second act.
The Company first goes to New Orleans for a jazzy number set to music played by Louis Armstrong & the Benny Carter Orchestra, followed by the delightful Santa Baby danced on 11/23 by Brennan Wall, as the Vamp with a 42-foot-long feather boa, and all the men in the company. This is followed by a wintery duet to Silver Bells, and a poignant solo in Please Come Home. A trio of ornament bedecked trees then dance the Droopy Little Christmas Tree.
On Christmas Island we have hula dancers, a swimmer, a surfer, a wavy ocean…and a shark. I’ll say no more. Huge fun!
Someday Soon is a World Premier by choreographer Rex Wheeler; a poignant duet. The traditional Twelve Days of Christmas is danced in a round. The movement never stops for all 12 days. It’s fun to watch.
Home for the Holidays and White Christmas conclude the party with snow falling, not only on stage, but on much of the audience. On the night I attended, everyone left the Christmas Ballet smiling, as will you!
Smuin’s “The Christmas Ballet” tours the Bay Area, with shows in Mountain View (December 5-8) and wrapping up in San Francisco (December 13-24). Tickets are available by phoning (650) 903-6000 for the Mountain View productions or (415) 912-1899 for the San Francisco shows or visiting www.smuinballet.org.
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Photo caption: The Smuin Company in Artistic Director Amy Seiwert's "The Twelve Days of Christmas," part of Smuin's "The Christmas Ballet" performing around the Bay Area now through December 24, 2024. (Photo credit: Maximillian Tortoriello Photography).