San Francisco Ballet's video: The Aesthetics and Politics of Ballet in a Globalized World

This week, SF Ballet participated in and to make space for Black voices and pertinent resources. We took that time to discuss systemic oppression, racism, and violence toward the Black community. In this spirit, we urge you to support our colleagues at Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem, who have a legacy of centering Black experiences in their art and within their communities. In 2018 as part of Unbound: A Festival of New Works, we were fortunate to have Virginia Johnson, artistic director of Dance Theatre of Harlem; and Dwight Rhoden, founding artistic director/resident choreographer of Complexions, join us to discuss ballet’s present and future. Featured here are excerpts from two panels of this event, the first of which asked, “How is contemporary ballet responding to the world around us?” and the second, “What does it mean to make space for new and diverse perspectives and creative voices in our field?” In this current moment, we’re revisiting these conversations. These discussions capture a moment in time. In the two years since, the country, the art form, and SF Ballet have continued to change and evolve, especially as we understand our responsibility toward diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. We still have a long way to go. We thank the speakers for sharing their perspectives and voices. From fake news to music video gifs, the rate at which information and images circle the globe has never been faster. What does it mean to make ballet in a time of instantaneous transmission and political uncertainty? How is ballet absorbing influences from other cultures and dance techniques? What kinds of new voices are contributing to ballet? How are the aesthetics of ballet changing? And what kinds of things are today’s choreographers trying to say? Speakers: Marc Brew (AXIS Dance), Marina Harss (Dance Writer), Jill Nunes Jensen (Loyola Marymount University), Ariel Osterweis (CalArts), Dwight Rhoden (Complexions Contemporary Ballet), Myles Thatcher (SF Ballet); Moderator: Jennie Scholick