Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
artists in town for only one night. All the various upcoming events, which include
lectures, concerts, and performances, are listed in collected form online, so it's a
good idea to check ahead rather than find out once you're in town and risk being
shut out.
DANCE
Lots of little companies present one or two chamber performances a year; check
the resource BayDance.com for listings of upcoming choices. Also check to see if
there's a hot international company visiting town through San Francisco
Performances (listed above).
The venerable
San Francisco Ballet
(War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness
Ave.;
%
415/861-5600; www.sfballet.org)
is, believe it or not, the oldest ballet
company in the United States, and its 2008 season marked its 75th. If you know
anything about most ballet companies, you won't be surprised to hear that attend-
ing a performance is expensive. That is, unless you're a student or senior (age 68
or older) or you're in the military, in which case you should call or visit the box
office at least an hour before showtimes for $10 to $25 tickets. Standing room is
also typically available for $10, but that goes fast. Typically, you can't get in the
orchestra for less than $55, although $95 is more like it. The company does an
annual
Nutcracker
that sells out, plus a host of mixed repertory and tribute pro-
grams. Call ahead at
%
415/865-2000 and they'll tell you if you stand a chance
of getting in.
Smuin Ballet
(300 Brannan St.;
%
415/495-2317; www.smuinballet.org),
a
smaller ballet outfit that has been around since 1994 with the goal of not being
snooty, offers occasional “pay-what-you-can” nights. It performs at several venues
around town. Its leader, Michael Smuin, was one of the most respected ballet
directors in America with roots both in ballet and Broadway, and despite his sud-
den death in 2007, his company plans to continue to stage accessible works,
although its mettle has yet to be re-proven. Its signature piece is an annual
“Christmas Ballet.”
The ODC Theater
(450 Florida St.;
%
415/863-9834; www.odctheater.org)
both
rents itself to a variety of modern-dance companies for one-off productions and
fosters its own modern-dance company called
ODC/Dance
(www.odcdance.org),
whose holiday tradition, going since the 1980s, is a production of
The Velveteen
Rabbit
at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in SoMa, a larger space than this one.
In late spring, the offbeat
Fresh Meat Festival
(www.freshmeatproductions.org)
is
held here; it strives to tell stripped-down narrative-style stories about off-the-main-
stream people using only movement, and usually creates three or four pieces that
get the local dance world buzzing.
For an erotic treat, twice (7:30pm and 9pm) on Thursdays at Latin-
American/Bolivian restaurant
Peña Pachamama
(1630 Powell St., at Union;
%
415/
646-0018; www.penapachamama.com; Wed-Sun 5:30-10:30pm; reservations recom-
mended)
the flamenco dancers of
Theatre Flamenco
(www.theatreflamenco.org)
take
the wooden floor with musicians and put on a 90-minute show. Dinner and sangria
is served (entrees are $17-$20 and big on roasted and grilled meats), and the cover
is just $10. You don't have to have a full dinner, but you're expected to eat
some-
thing
—tapas are just $7.
