It seems there is no stopping the juggernaut of bad taste at the money-spinning dance competitions, which are putting younger and younger students on display. Lack of artistry is no barrier as long as a kid can do five pirouettes, kick their leg up to their ear, and shell out the competition fees.
Thus, it was a relief to witness the decorous and inspiring presentation of young balletic talent at San Francisco Ballet’s annual student showcase last May.
Students of San Francisco Ballet in Wei Wang’s FOCUS (Photo: Chris Hardy)
The showcase also serves as a platform for new choreographers. I witnessed the choreographic debut of Wei Wang, a newly minted soloist at SFB (click here to read my review on KQED Arts).
Any hint of pessimism from my musings on the shrinking pipeline of emerging choreographers was dispelled by the bracing menu of summer dance on offer in the Bay Area. I previewed an eclectic assortment for KQED Arts (click here to check out my top 11 picks for the summer of 2016).
Garrett Anderson and Adrienne Lipson in Penny Saunders’ JOE AND IDA for SFDanceworks (Photo: Alex Reneff-Olson)
