Smuin Contemporary Ballet’s The Christmas Ballet is the ideal way to ring in the holidays. A bountiful selection of dances performed to familiar Christmas music, which spans the sacred and the traditional, to the stylized carols of popular singers, this joyous extravaganza of dance has been entertaining Bay Area audiences for 30 years now. The opening weekend Sunday matinee at the Lesher Center, in Walnut Creek, was packed to the gills with an all-ages audience who met the energy from the stage with their own enthusiasm.
Like the performative version of a Christmas tree, each year’s display is unique. Just as the rediscovery of an old favorite or the acquisition of new ornaments requires us to rotate a few older ones off our tree, so too must Artistic Director Amy Seiwert sift through the 115 dances that have at one time or another been part of The Christmas Ballet and select two dozen or so. More than half the works are choreographed by the originating showman, founder Michael Smuin, who dreamed up this engaging format and all the pieces of the first programs. Over the years more than 20 dancemakers have contributed work to a version of this Bay Area holiday show. This 2024 iteration includes three world premieres. Act 1: The Classical Christmas features classical ballet and works inspired by traditional folk dances, while Act 2: The Cool Christmas leans heavily into musical theater with tap, jazz, modern, and social dances all having their moment.
Smuin artists (l-r) Julia Gundzik, Dominic Barrett, and Maggie Carey in the world premiere of Artistic Director Amy Seiwert's "Dona Nobis Pacem," part of Smuin's "The Christmas Ballet" performing around the Bay Area now through December 24, 2024. Photo: Maximillian Tortoriello Photography,
While new to the Director’s role, Seiwert has a long association with The Christmas Ballet as an artist and choreographer. This is likely the first time she has selected the pieces and ordered them and she does a smashing job. Within the framework of full-company numbers opening and closing the acts, the smaller ensemble and solo numbers alternate, rolling along almost seamlessly, while allowing time backstage for practical considerations like costume and shoe changes. All the music is recorded and the sound levels at Lesher varied, with some songs too faint and others perhaps a bit too present. Over the run I expect the soundtrack will be more consistently delivered.
Most pieces are under four minutes and bring their own mood. Several times the show travels from a bouncy partner dance to a bereft partnerless maiden left in the shadows only to be reanimated by the discovery of true love. The artists’ apt characterizations, from broadly theatrical to heartfelt connection, carry us along during these speedy emotional transitions. If I have one criticism, it is the prevalence of stereotypically gendered pieces, in which a woman isn’t happy until she has a man. Thus, it is refreshing to experience the blossoming affection of same-sex couple Brennan Wall and Cassidy Isaacson in choreographer Rex Wheeler’s new “Someday Soon,” sung by Judy Garland.
Wall’s lush and emotive dancing in Smuin’s exultant “Ave Maria,” left me breathless. As did the perfectly echoing lunging reaches and soaring lifts she shared with partner Ricardo Dyer in the hallowed space of Seiwert’s “Noel Nouvelet.”
The multi-talented Wall also choreographed the inventive and raucous eighties romp to George Micheal’s “Last Christmas.” Premiering this weekend, it features new company member AL Abraham whose high energy sleeplessness conjures the fleeting images of the girl who got away in the arms of her beau. Abraham’s elastic mugging, and tight, vertical jazz turns demonstrate why he is a Smuin Ballet natural, who we can anticipate enjoying for years to come.
Smuin artist AL Abraham in the world premiere of Brennan Wall's "Last Christmas," part of Smuin's "The Christmas Ballet." Photo: Maximillian Tortoriello Photography.
Smuin Ballet has a treasure in newcomer Julia Gundzik, most recently of Cincinnati Ballet. Gundzik showcases her range in two solos. Her elegant lines, steadfast control, and grace sparkle like the star drop in Michael Smuin’s classical solo, “Zither.” Later her affable narrative abilities have us laughing and sympathizing as she flounces in frustration at the delay of her husband in Seiwert’s “Please Come Home.” Her pink chiffon cocktail dress puddles around her as she flops into the splits, her flexed feet pointed skyward ragdoll-style. Dominic Barrett, also new this year, leads his leaping lady Tess Lane, with aplomb in “For Unto Us A Child is Born,” and hangs-five with gusto, cocktail in hand, in the Hawaiian themed “Christmas Island,” both by Micheal Smuin. Seiwert’s “Dona Nobis Pacem” completes the trio of premieres. Gundzik, Barrett, and Maggie Carey deliver the long leaps and rapid rotations of this dynamic contemporary ballet with aplomb.
Smuin artists (l-r) Shania Rasmussen, Maggie Carey, and Julia Gundzik hula as Dominic Barrett and Gabrielle Collins ride a wave in Michael Smuin's "Christmas Island," part of Smuin's "The Christmas Ballet." Photo: Maximillian Tortoriello Photography.
João Sampaio is the MVP partner at this matinee, lifting Isaacson to ethereal heights in Michael Smuin’s “Dobra Notsch - Good Night.” Later he and Gabrielle Collins soulfully complete each other, dancing to Joni Mitchell’s “River,” choreographed by Seiwert.
Gliding backwards onto the stage on twinkling toes, Carey is sprightly and bright in choreographer Nicole Haskins “Fantasia, which closes with Carey’s carefree jump into the basket of her partner Marc LaPierre’s waiting arms. Cassidy Isaacson is teasingly delicious as the materialistic maven of Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby,” fawned over by a cast of trench-coated suitors.
Versatile and vivacious, the artists of Smuin Contemporary Ballet’s 18-member company, 17 of whom performed on this Sunday, continues to impress. Roles are double and triple cast to allow for illness and injury but also to keep the work fresh and interesting for dancers and viewers alike over this 20-performance, 5-week, 3-city tour. Given this, I plan to return late in the run to see The Christmas Ballet with alternate casting. I hope to see you there.
Review by Jen Norris, published November 25, 2024.
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Performance Schedule
Dec 5 - 8, 2024 Mountain View Performing Arts Center
Dec 13-24, 2024 San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
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