WWD: At San Francisco Ballet’s Opening Gala, Feathers and Feminism

By Diane Dorrans Saeks

24 January 2019

Though centered around fashion, Saeks’ recent article highlights feminism and female choreographers highlighted at the San Francisco Ballet gala:

Fashion and dance were the focus for the evening’s glittery crowd, but feminist issues were a major topic of discussion. Komal Shah ran into Larissa Roesch (wearing an Andrew Gn gown), with whom she founded the Center for Gender Equity and Leadership at University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

“We are planning to highlight and celebrate next year’s centennial of the women’s suffragette movement,” said Shah. “Women have come so far and there is still a lot to do for women in the business sphere. Equity is more urgent than ever.”

…

The evening’s program included two world premieres with a pas de deux by Bay Area choreographer Danielle Rowe featuring principal dancers Aaron Robison and Sofiane Sylve. It was followed by a new pas de deux by choreographer in residence Yuri Possokhov, with music by Arvo Pärt and featuring principal dancers Yuan Yuan Tan and Carlo Di Lanno.

Ballet fan Coralie Langston-Jones loved the new work by Rowe, who also designed the dancers’ costumes. “It’s great to see more female choreographers on the program,” said Langston-Jones, who was accompanied by her daughter, Sophia Wickens, a ballet student, who recently auditioned for San Francisco Ballet’s summer intensive program. “Women’s choreographers are somewhat rare in classical ballet, and Rowe is exceptionally talented.”

Read the full article on WWD.