Smuin Contemporary Ballet investigates the past to explore their future with Future Forward. The production includes two world premieres and two audience favorites, including Michael Smuin’s beloved “Hearts Suite,” set to the music of Edith Piaf.
Future Forward is grounded in Smuin Ballet’s past while looking boldly ahead. “Hearts Suite” is an excerpt from founder Michael Smuin’s ballet set to the songs of Edith Piaf. Based on a concept and scenario written by Raquel Bitton and originally choreographed for the San Francisco Ballet in 1986, the suite has not been seen on the Smuin stage since 2015. Katarzyna “Kate” Skarpetowska’s “Sextette,” a joyful piece set to Bach, also returns.
Two world premieres cement Smuin’s ongoing commitment to new work. Artistic Director Amy Seiwert creates her 15th ballet, “Still Falling,” featuring the solo piano intermezzi of Johannes Brahms.
Andrea “Andi” Schermoly, formerly of Nederlands Dans Theater, brings her cinematic and athletic choreography to her first piece for Smuin Ballet, “Jane Doe.”
At select San Francisco performances, concert pianist John Wilson performs live alongside Smuin Contemporary Ballet (excluding only the Saturday, April 25, 2:00 p.m. performance).
Don’t miss this final program of the season!
April 17 to 26, 2026
Thursday, Friday & Saturday (April 25): 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cowell Theater, Pier 2, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
$25 to $90
Smuin Contemporary Ballet: SmuinBallet.org
(415) 912-1899 (Box Office)
(415) 556-6000 (Other Inquiries)
info@SmuinBallet.org
John Wilson, Pianist:
JohnWilsonPiano.com
JohnWilsonPianist@gmail.com
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This new program series of unique live events debuts in Spring 2026. Explore the past and present of cuisine, dance, music, theatre, and film at Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture through these exciting immersive programs.
Points of Departure is an exciting new program series celebrating the full spectrum of Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture (FMCAC) as a place of innovation and discovery, a personal port of embarkation for its community and a window on the world.
Each inaugural program focuses on past and present residents, artists, organizations, and events that have played key roles at Fort Mason and in San Francisco, celebrating the vibrant past, present, and future of FMCAC as it charts a course toward its 50th anniversary in 2027. Points of Departure is curated by Brad Rosenstein, Associate Curator of Public Programs.
POINTS OF DEPARTURE OPENING CELEBRATION AND INAUGURAL PROGRAM
GREENS: FROM REVERENCE TO RESTAURANT
Thursday, March 26, 2026 – 6:00-9:00 pm @ Greens Restaurant
Special Opening Celebration Ticket – $130 per person (includes curated food and beverage menu, tax, and tip)
The program includes a lively panel discussion with Chef Katie Reicher and other pivotal figures charting Greens’ evolution through the decades; historic visuals; a virtual tour of the kitchen; and, of course, a magnificent meal. As the sun sets behind the Bridge, the evening begins with a welcome reception featuring legacy bites from Greens’ early menus, shared with sparkling wine and a signature cocktail. Guests then gather at the table for the signature Tassajara menu, served with a thoughtful selection of wines and ending with beloved desserts drawn from the restaurant’s history.
SMUIN CONTEMPORARY BALLET:
ANATOMY OF A BALLET
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 – 7:00-8:00 pm @ Cowell Theater, Pier 2
Admission: Free-$60, sliding scale
How does a ballet go from an idea in the choreographer’s head to a fully realized vision onstage? Explore the creative process with Smuin Contemporary Ballet Artistic Director Amy Seiwert as she takes you on the journey of bringing her recent world premiere to life. This character-driven work is Seiwert’s 15th ballet for Smuin (debuting at the Cowell Theater April 17-26, 2006). This talk includes live performance excerpts by the company.
STERN GROVE FESTIVAL:
FREE MUSIC UNDER THE TREES
Thursday, May 7, 2026 – 7:00-8:30 pm @ Cowell Theater, Pier 2
Admission: Free-$60, sliding scale
In this third installment of Points of Departure, go behind the scenes with Stern Grove Festival to explore its past, present, and future. The evening features a panel conversation with Festival leadership, rich visuals, and a live performance by special musical guests that brings Stern Grove’s story rocking to life.
AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ
Thursday, June 11, 2026 – 7:00-9:00 pm @ Cowell Theater, Pier 2
Admission: Free-$60, sliding scale
SAN FRANCISCO PREMIERE
World Premiere, 2026 Sundance Film Festival – Winner, Audience Award
The inaugural season of Points of Departure concludes with the San Francisco premiere of the award-winning new documentary American Pachuco: The Legend Of Luis Valdez, directed by David Alvarado and narrated by Edward James Olmos (Insignia Films, 92 minutes). It chronicles the life and career of playwright, director, and filmmaker Luis Valdez, known as the father of Chicano theater. The screening is followed by an on-stage conversation with special guests.
Established in 1979 and one of Fort Mason Center’s longest-standing residents, Greens Restaurant has become an internationally renowned beacon of vegetarian cooking and the organic farm-to-table movement. Originally opened as part of San Francisco Zen Center, Greens offered students an opportunity to extend their Buddhist practice into daily work, drawing early inspiration from the simple, mindful cuisine of Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, where food is prepared as an expression of care, seasonality, and presence. Guided by a philosophy of celebrating vegetables as both fine dining and an act of local sustainability, Greens has also fostered an extraordinary legacy of women chefs – from founding chef Deborah Madison and the transformational Annie Somerville to current executive chef Katie Reicher.
Smuin Contemporary Ballet has performed regularly at Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture for three decades. Founded by choreographer Michael Smuin and debuting in San Francisco in 1994, Smuin immediately established itself as one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most eagerly watched performing arts companies of international acclaim, performing to sold-out houses on U.S. and European tours. Michael Smuin’s singular philosophy to create pieces which merge the diverse vocabularies of classical ballet and contemporary dance has served as the Company’s touchstone since its inception.
Entering its 89th season, Stern Grove Festival is the nation’s oldest, large-scale, free music festival and an iconic San Franciscan tradition. Year after year, The Festival has brought to its beautiful outdoor stage some of the finest musical performers of their times, representing an astonishing range of genres, styles, and moods.
Stern Grove Festival is the newest resident of Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, relocating its offices to FMCAC in 2025. The original free music festival, Stern Grove is a non-profit organization making live music accessible to all since 1938, A summer afternoon spent enjoying a performance at the historic Sigmund Stern Recreation Grove is an opportunity for discovery, connection, and joyous celebration. All proceeds of The Festival’s events go towards bringing free live music to San Francisco, ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of music in nature.
American Pachuco: The Legend Of Luis Valdez explores how Valdez transformed the American cultural landscape by bringing Chicano stories from the farm fields of Delano, CA to Broadway and Hollywood. It covers his founding of El Teatro Campesino alongside the United Farm Workers, as well as the creation of his iconic works Zoot Suit and La Bamba.
Although his work has achieved international renown, Valdez has been closely identified with Northern California throughout his career. He is an alumnus of the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and his company El Teatro Campesino (based in San Juan Bautista, CA) has frequently performed in San Francisco. Valdez’s plays and films have been seen in multiple venues at Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture, including the Cowell Theater where the “Points Of Departure” screening takes place.
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 7, 2026, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 11, 2026, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
See times above.
Greens Restaurant, Building A and the Cowell Theater, Pier 2, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
Greens Restaurant Event: $130
Other Events: Free to $60 (sliding scale)
Greens Restaurant
GreensRestaurant.com
(415) 771-6222
info@GreensRestaurant.com
Smuin Contemporary Ballet
SmuinBallet.org
(415) 556-5000
info@SmuinBallet.org
Stern Grove Festival
SternGrove.org
(415) 252-6252
info@SternGrove.org
American Pachuco: The Legend Of Luis Valdez
ITVS.org
(415) 356-8383
itvs@ITVS.org
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The critically acclaimed Sa Dance Company comes to San Francisco to perform RISE. This production is a contemporary American-South Asian dance experience.
Experience the power, resilience, and spirit of womanhood in RISE, an immersive dance experience by the Sa Dance Company.
Told in four movements, this piece follows the journey of an Indian woman – her youthful dreams, the weight of societal expectations, the strength to overcome adversity, and the hope that emerges through faith and sisterhood. RISE is a tribute to the generations of grandmothers, aunties, and mothers whose unwavering determination and boundless generosity have paved the way for the women of today.
More than a performance, RISE is a celebration of courage, transformation, and the unbreakable bond that unites us all.
The Sa Dance Company blends classical and contemporary influences to create a groundbreaking Indian-American dance form. With performances that resonate emotionally and spiritually, Sa has captivated audiences across the country – including a historic performance at the White House, Lincoln Center, Summerstage, and more. Don’t miss the chance to witness this extraordinary company live in San Francisco.
Saturday, February 28, 2026
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Doors 6:00 p.m.)
Cowell Theater, Pier 2, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
$38 to $48
Sa Dance Company:
SaDanceCompany.com
(617) 835-0852
dance@SaDanceCompany.com
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Bharata Dance’s unique production depicts the tale of a sacred Nataraja idol journeying from temple to theft, exile, and auction; revealing devotion, loss, and the search for where it truly belongs.
A Thousand Years’ Journey is an original Bharatanatyam dance-theater production that tells the story of a sacred bronze Nataraja idol from Tamil Nadu, tracing its life across a millennium through devotion, displacement, and rediscovery. Told from the perspective of the statue itself, the work begins with its creation by a temple sculptor and its consecration as a living deity, followed by centuries as a silent witness to the lives of villagers, kings, priests, dancers, lovers, and seekers who found meaning in its presence.
As history unfolds, the idol experiences both reverence and rupture – social hierarchies, colonial disruption, and ultimately its theft from the temple and entry into the global art market. Transported across borders and stripped of context, it becomes an object of value rather than a center of faith.
Through evocative movement, original music, narration, and multimedia, the production explores the emotional, cultural, and spiritual consequences of this journey, asking what is lost when sacred art is commodified and displaced.
At its heart, A Thousand Years’ Journey is about relationship – between people and the divine, between memory and identity, and between art and belonging. Blending classical Bharatanatyam vocabulary with contemporary storytelling, the ensemble brings to life a deeply human narrative of devotion, injustice, resilience, and the enduring search for home.
Saturday, March 14, 2026
5:00 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. (Doors, 4:30 p.m.)
Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
$40
Bharata Dance & Allied Arts:
(408) 768-8941
Bharata.Dance.Company@gmail.com
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Mark Foehringer’s Alice In Wonderland returns to the Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture for a delightful presentation of a classic children’s tale.
This danced 50-minute romp is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s timeless story, Alice’s Adventure In Wonderland. It is performed to a score by Camille Saint Saens and played live by our orchestra conducted by Keisuke Nakagoshi.
This version is very much Foehringer’s own personal interpretation of Alice as a heroine who faces challenges and solves them. It features scenic design by Peter Crompton, costumes by Stephanie Verrieres and Nicole Kreglow, and projection design by Frédéric Boulay.
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cowell Theater
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cowell Theater
GALLERY
March 28 & 29, 2026
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
$23.50 to $65.50
MFDPSF.org
(628) 400-1348 (production questions)
(415) 345-7575 (Box Office)
info@MFDPSF.org
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From August 22 to 30, 2025, Fort Mason Arts presented the world premiere of DIASPORADICA, a three-hour immersive performance by the experimental collective RUPTURE.
DIASPORADICA unfolded as a journey through three acts: “Kickback” – an invitation to leisure and gameplay establishing intimacy between performers and audiences; “Performance,” featuring collective choreography and improvisation from diasporic storytelling traditions; and “Function,” transforming the space into a club environment positioning dance as communal spiritual technology. The work combined contemporary dance, immersive installation, ritual practices, and community engagement to explore themes of Black kinship, belonging, and artistic embodiment.
Related Programming
In conjunction with the performances, FMCAC hosted RUPTURE workshops featuring conversations between the creators and guest artists including Joanna Haigood, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Maurya Kerr, taisha paggett and, amara tabor-smith. Sessions explored themes including “Poetics of Place,” “Hauntology 101” and “Black Grammar.”
RUPTURE is an experimental performance collective founded by five San Francisco Bay Area and New York artists: josé e. abad, Styles Alexander, Gabriele Christian, Clarissa Rivera Dyas, and Stephanie Hewett. The collective brings together expertise in dance, visual arts, sound design, and community engagement to center Black and Queer experience, vernacular, and aesthetics as wellsprings for radical futurity. RUPTURE’s work explores layered encounters possible when artists assemble and build together.
From August 23 to 30, 2025, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture presented the world premiere of DIASPORADICA, a three-hour immersive performance by the experimental collective RUPTURE.
Festival Pavilion, Pier 3 & The Firehouse
From August 22 to 30, 2025, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture presented the world premiere of DIASPORADICA, a three-hour immersive performance by the experimental collective RUPTURE at the Pier 3 Festival Pavilion.
DIASPORADICA unfolded as a journey through three acts: ‘Kickback,’ an invitation to leisure and gameplay establishing intimacy between performers and audiences; ‘Performance,’ featuring collective choreography and improvisation from diasporic storytelling traditions; and ‘Function,’ transforming the space into a club environment positioning dance as communal spiritual technology. The work combined contemporary dance, immersive installation, ritual practices, and community engagement to explore themes of Black kinship, belonging, and artistic embodiment.
Related Programming
CAC hosted RUPTURE workshops from August 25-27, 2025, featuring conversations between RUPTURE’s creators and guest artists including Joanna Haigood, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Maurya Kerr, taisha paggett, and amara tabor-smith. Sessions expolored themes including ‘Poetics of Place,’ Hauntology 101,’ and ‘Black Grammar.’
RUPTURE is an experimental performance collective founded by five Bay Area and New York artists: josé e. abad, Styles Alexander, Gabriele Christian, Clarissa Rivera Dyas, and Stephanie Hewett. The collective brings together expertise in dance, visual arts, sound design, and community engagement to center Black and Queer experience, vernacular, and aesthetics as wellsprings for radical futurity. RUPTURE’s work explores layered encounters possible when artists assemble and build together.
Friday & Saturday, August 22 & 23, 2025
Monday to Wednesday, August 25 to 27, 2025
Friday & Saturday, August 29 & 30, 2025
Festival Pavilion, Pier 3 & The Firehouse, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
From August 22 to 30, 2025, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture presented the world premiere of DIASPORADICA, a three-hour immersive performance by the experimental collective RUPTURE
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Celebrate the holidays at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture with Mark Foehringer’s Nutcracker Sweets, a 50-minute production of the classic holiday ballet for families with small children and audiences of all ages.
Celebrate the holidays at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture with Mark Foehringer’s Nutcracker Sweets, a 50-minute production of the classic holiday ballet for families with small children and audiences of all ages. This special production is danced storytelling that is affordable, magical, zany, and fun.
Foehringer uses his choreographic skills in contemporary dance and ballet to craft a show that is sure to thrill dance newcomers and seasoned ballet lovers. See all of the favorite Nutcracker characters in beautiful costumes performing on a colorful set with live chamber orchestra music.
Award-winning scenic designer Peter Crompton provides the set design and Emmy-nominated Richard Battle creates gorgeous costumes. The Tchaikovsky score for the production was originally re-orchestrated by the late Maestro Michael Morgan of Oakland Symphony Orchestra. Production and projection design is created by Frédéric O. Boulay. Former ODC dancer Brian Fisher serves as the rehearsal director and artistic associate.
There is also a live nine-piece chamber orchestra with Keisuke Nakagoshi (San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Opera Parallèle) as the pit conductor.
Cast Members include:
• Carlos Venturo (Director of School Programming, ODC) as Drosselmeyer
• Vincent Chavez (Oakland Ballet, Robert Moses’ KIN) as the Nutcracker
• Theresa Knudson (Ballet22) as Clara
• LizAnne Roman Roberts (FACT/SF) as the Sugar Plum Fairy
• Jetta Martin (Zaccho Dance Theater) as Mother Ginger, a role originated by the dancer
Additional roles are performed by Samuel Melecio-Zambrano (Robert Moses’ KIN, Bandaloop), Ryan Rouland Smith (ODC/Dance), Andy Nguyen (New Ballet), Emily Hansel (SFDance Works), Diego Ramil (Pianist/Alonzo King LINES Ballet), and Sonja Dale (Liss Fain Dance).
PLEASE NOTE: Babes in arms must also have tickets. Please refer to the Nutcracker Sweets FAQ for more information.
Saturday & Sunday, December 6 to 21, 2025
December 6 & 7, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. & 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; December 13 to 21, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
$23.50 to $65.50 ($26.40 to $70.92 with fees)
Celebrate the holidays at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture with Mark Foehringer’s Nutcracker Sweets, a 50-minute production of the classic holiday ballet for families with small children and audiences of all ages.
MFDPSF.org
(628) 400-1348
info@MFDPSF.org
Sign up today for the latest news from Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture.
Ballet22 plans a spectacular season in the Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture with Summer Season 2026 performances on July 25 and 26, 2026; Saturday 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Ballet22 presents world class ballet while breaking gender normative traditions, specifically by presenting men, trans, and non-binary artists “en pointe.” The company performs beloved classical ballets, contemporary works, and new commissions that bring LGBTQIA+ representation to the ballet world in a way that has never been done before.
Since its founding in 2020, Ballet22 has commissioned 12 new ballets that contribute to LGBTQIA+ representation in the ballet world. Ballet22 was named by Dance Magazine “25 to Watch” in 2022 and received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award Nomination for the 2021-22 season for Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Company.
Under the leadership of Co-Founder Theresa Knudson, and Co-Directors Lorris Eichinger and Daniel R. Durrett, the company continues to expand its relationships with queer artists and creatives, and prioritizes commissioning both live and filmed works centering inclusion to the LGBTQIA+ community in ballet.
Saturday, July 25, 2025 (8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
Sunday, July 26, 2026 (4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
Saturday, 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
$29.86 to $90.12
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