the little mermaid {sf ballet}

I am in San Francisco right now and last night I was treated to a night out to the ballet. For 2 weeks, the San Francisco Ballet is performing The Little Mermaid, based on the original story by Hans Christian Andersen. Led by Hamburg Ballet Director and Chief Choreographer, John Neumeier, the SF Ballet does a modern interpretation of the tragic story of a mermaid enduring so much because of her committed love for a human Prince. What I loved so much about this performance was the melding of the choreography, stage design, and costume design. The mermaid costume complimented the choreography that resembled movement under water...the minimalist set design utilizing neon lights {I wish I could find a picture!} complimented the bold color palette of the costumes...some of the company dancers seamlessly transitioned from being sea creatures to being supporters of the mermaid...I don't think my descriptions can justify the truly original and unique production they put on. It was VERY modern - choreography, music, set design, everything - but I really appreciated the opportunity to see a full-feature ballet that was quite different from the NYC ballet companies. Check out the video above or here to get a preview and behind-the-scenes look at this performance...


{Photos courtesy of San Francisco Ballet}