San Francisco Ballet Balanchine: Father of American Ballet

BALANCHINE: FATHER OF AMERICAN BALLET
War Memorial Opera House
February 10–15, 2026
Number of Performances: 7
Artwork Due Date: 1/9/2026

A tribute to the driving force behind modern ballet in America, Balanchine: Father of American Ballet showcases the choreographer’s artistic evolution across three iconic works. Diamonds glitters with the power of imperial Russian grandeur. Serenade captures the emotional depth and innovative drive of his early time in the United States. Stars and Stripes, joyful and patriotic, was made as a tribute to the vitality of the American spirit. Each ballet celebrates Balanchine’s legacy of technical mastery and artistic vision.

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San Francisco Ballet presents seven world-class productions each season, running January through May, with their iconic Nutcracker dazzling audiences every December at the War Memorial Opera House.

San Francisco Ballet, long recognized for pushing boundaries in dance, has a history of making history. Founded in 1933, the company staged the first full-length American productions of Coppélia (1938) and Swan Lake (1940) and, in 1944, launched an annual holiday tradition with the first full-length production of Nutcracker in the U.S.

Led by Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, SF Ballet is accompanied by its own orchestra and operates one of the country’s most prestigious schools of ballet. Today it build on its heritage by commissioning groundbreaking dance from today’s top choreographers, by uncovering new choreographic talent, and by staging modern classics and the works that make up the canon of classic ballet. Its approach defines ballet in the 21st century, making San Francisco Ballet the essential place to see the most adventurous dance in America.

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