San Francisco Ballet - To The Pointe

Mar 11 2024 21 ep. 495

San Francisco Ballet - To The Pointe Podcast artwork

Need something to listen to on your way to the theater? Join Jennie Scholick, PhD as she hosts To the Pointe, for an in-depth but light-hearted exploration of an upcoming performance. Learn what to look for, what’s important, and what you need to know to get the most out of your experience.

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To the Pointe: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a quick overview of George Balanchine's& A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hear about the ballet's creation in 1960s New York, revisit the story to figure out which dancer is Hermia and which one is Helena, and find out what to look for in this magical and mystical ballet!

To The Pointe: Swan Lake

Swan Lake may be the most iconic ballet in history. But despite its success today, the creation of Swan Lake in 19th-century Russia was far from smooth-sailing. For one, Tchaikovsky bristled at the idea of being labeled a “ballet specialist” like Ludwig Minkus, who would compose bars of music to spec: 8 bars of “happy” music for an entrance, or 16 bars of “dramatic” mus

To the Pointe: Cinderella

May 15 2022 17 mins

Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a quick overview of Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©. Hear about the ballet’s creation, both in Soviet Russia and in San Francisco, revisit the story, and find out what to look for in this delightfully charming ballet! Header Photo: Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh in Wheeldon’s Cinderella // © Erik Tomasson

To The Pointe: Romeo & Juliet

May 01 2022 15 mins

Ah, yes: star-crossed lovers, show-stopping swordsmanship, and a tragic ending for the ages. On the surface, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet seems like a natural and easy fit for the balletic stage. But the conception of this now-classic ballet, which has only been around for about 80 years, came with a host of challenges for its composer, Sergei Prokofiev. In this episode of To T

To the Pointe: Nutcracker

Apr 19 2022 18 mins

Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a deep dive into Nutcracker. Learn about this iconic ballet’s history, story, and what to look for. Purchase Nutcracker Tickets

To The Pointe: Program 05

Apr 28 2021 14 mins

All You Need to Know About Program 05 Before You Watch Program 05 includes three ballets made expressly for San Francisco Ballet dancers: Helgi Tomasson’s 7 for Eight, Cathy Marston’s Snowblind, and David Dawson’s Anima Animus. In this episode of To The Pointe, learn about the job of a principal choreographer, hear from Cathy Marston and Principal Dancer Sarah Van Patten in

To The Pointe: Jewels

Mar 26 2021 13 mins

George Balanchine's Jewels comprises three ballets—Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds—that evoke the styles and moods of the United States, France, and Russia, respectively. Get to know a bit about Jewels, its creation in 1967, and what to look for in each ballet before this dazzling classic hits the screen on April 1 during SF Ballet's 2021 Digital Season.

To The Pointe: Program 03

Mar 11 2021 19 mins

Get a quick overview of the three ballets that make up Program 03: Ratmansky’s Symphony #9, Danielle Rowe’s Wooden Dimes, and Yuri Possokhov’s Swimmer.

To The Pointe: 2021 Digital Season Overview

Jan 27 2021 21 mins

All You Need to Know About the 2021 Digital Season Before You Watch! If To The Pointe is like a mini audio program note, this episode is like a mini-mini program note. Get a quick overview of the entire 2021 Season, and hear from choreographer Danielle Rowe and Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson in their own words about their works. Tune in to later epis

To the Pointe: Dance Innovations

Feb 09 2020 22 mins

Join Associate Director of Audience Development, Jennie Scholick, PhD for a deep dive into the three ballets on Program 3: Dance Innovations. Hear from Edwaard Liang, Trey McIntyre, Johnny Eliason, and Lise Lander and find out what to look for in this exciting lineup of ballets. Like what you heard? Subscribe to our To the Pointe podcast on Apple Podcasts to access archived episode