A Night Out With the San Francisco Ballet: The Colors of Dance

Alright. Before I begin, I must preface that I am not an avid ballet or dance observer. However, in the San Francisco Ballet’s opening night performance of their newest show, The Colors of Dance, it honestly does not matter.

If you want the short and concise opinion, the “I only got 1 minute to read” opinion: go. Go because I assure you that whether or not you have a background in ballet, let alone dance as a whole, you will thoroughly enjoy the experience from start to finish. So take a night out, bring your partner, your mom, your dad, bring whoever you want because whether you are a novice or veteran dance enthusiast, the San Francisco Ballet’s The Colors of Dance proves to be yet another amazing exhibition put on by fantastic choreographers and even greater dancers.

Now, if you’re still here, The Colors of Dance premiered on March 14th at the San Francisco Opera House to an almost full house! Tickets seemed slim, but being fortunate enough to acquire a seat, I sat down for what I expected to be another plain ballet recital.

I was completely wrong.

San Francisco Ballet in Forsythe’s Blake Works I

Hansuke Yamamoto and Daniel Deivison-Oliveira in Tomasson’s 7 For Eight.

Presented in 3 pieces: 7 for Eight, Colorforms, Blake Works I, The Colors of Dance seemed to span multiple styles of ballet which is one of the reasons that I believe it was so enjoyable. In my post-show conversations, the general consensus was that each piece seemed to improve in modernity and style. 7 for Eight, with its beautiful orchestral accompaniment of Bach, featured precise movements, sleek dark costumes, and expertly embraced the essence of ballet, transporting audience members to a 17th century opera house in its vibe and attitude. Though it was not my favorite performance of the night, 7 for Eight showcased choreographer Helgi Tomasson’s expertise and deserved to be respected by even the most elite ballet enjoyers. Colorforms by Myles Thatcher on the other hand combined a grandiose set design with colorful costumes to showcase a piece that was ever evolving. It seemed as if I was watching a movie whose words came through the form of ballet. Being the piece I enjoyed the most, I would honestly recommend going to the ballet simply for this piece. However, the final dance of the show, Blake Works I, acted as the right way to wrap up a holistically exciting night of ballet. Blake Works I was by all means the most modern piece of the night, mixing hip hop-esque choreography with traditional ballet and electronic music (the speakers in the opera house were amazing). Going back to the idea that The Colors of Dance is a travel through modernity, Blake Works I is modern ballet. It is the quintessential showcase of what ballet is turning into and that is what makes the piece so exciting. While Colorforms and 7 for Eight emphasize aspects of traditional ballet, it seems as if choreographer William Forsythe doesn’t want Blake Works I to be that way. The James Blake backed performance relied little on visual design and emphasized creating a fantastic soundscape that quite frankly had me enamored from start to finish.

The Colors of Dance continues its run at the San Francisco Opera House until Sunday, March 19th. If your schedule permits it, spend your night with the San Francisco Ballet Company. Trust me: you will not be disappointed.