Being called the best assumes lightning will strike twice, on schedule, and then strike again. I think that’s life at the San Francisco Ballet.
I heard about many bests recently at its 93rd opening gala. Everywhere I looked, people chattered in polite gossip, and a new room waited for me to find reasons to linger, from macarons to photo stations; or I was catching up with my favorite performer while waiting in line for cocktails.
Yes, I do think this is the best party I’ll experience all year — something chair Alison Mauzé told us during opening remarks before the night’s performances. It’s honestly hard to pinpoint how SF Ballet does this so often, but they’ve ranked in the city’s top soirées every time I’ve gone. It is, in some ways, a self-fulfilling vibe; you’re enchanted by the drama of the lights and good music, and just then, an equally gobsmacked gaggle of ladies needs to be your new BFF.
We are still in the early years with Creative Director Tamara Rojo at the helm, and along with her, a spate of contemporary dances to consider. Blame Rojo for casting my favorite dancers in the pieces I loved most on Wednesday; I want to feature new names in these reviews! But here we are —
My first award goes to a haunting dance that’s part of “Glass Pieces” by Jerome Robbins, which included another stand-out performance by Harrison James alongside Jasmine Jimison. It served straight-up Logan’s Run, from monochrome leotards to a massive futuristic graph paper backdrop; All we needed was some Farah Fawcett hair and LEDs on the dancers’ palms.
Then we circle back once again to Center Stage, a now 25-year-old film that never leaves my cultural reference when attending SF Ballet galas.
The big finish Wednesday night featured Nikisha Fogo and Cavan Conley in Stars and Stripes Forever, a campy dance choreographed by George Balanchine. I had only witnessed the one scene from Center Stage, but watching it live at the War Memorial Opera House alongside music by John Philip Sousa — can I tell you this? I giggled a lot. The over-the-top costumes and music gave me Midge Maisel performing for the troops.
Fashion is always my favorite part of this soirée even though some people find it weird to wear it right now. I have heard through the grapevine it’s a politically tense time nowadays; Yeah, no shit. That didn’t stop us from donning our most dramatic looks for SF Ballet, and in fact, I like to think we do more celebrating when the world feels especially bleak. Because if not now, then when? My stand-outs for 2026:
Laurelly Dale
Miss Dale served me sort of a Karl the Fog does the ballet — black bodice, pink poof, accompanied with some fuschia Valentino Mary Jane pumps. You'll notice a theme with my silhouette favorites this year, and this one filled the room in the best way.
Joshua Jack Price
There’s a shorthand version of me that circulates in San Francisco’s arts world: the man in a ballgown. Well, Joshua Jack Price walked right up and snatched my crown. Someone actually came up to me on Wednesday and asked, “Were you in a different dress earlier?”
I’m glad I’m at least being confused for Price — but no, I was not in the dress featured here. You just missed me because I was busy setting Price’s gown ablaze so I could hold the title alone. This was a custom design by Stephanie Verrières (Verrieres Sako), who walked alongside Price like they were all a fashion posse at the Met Gala. Am I mad about it? No.
Tanum Davis Bohen and Badara Ndiaye
Tanum and I shared a moment for that one time the SF Chronicle snapped us at my very first SF Ballet gala. She's always in something insanely fabulous, and when I walked up to her to compliment this Diana Ross-looking wild sequin dress, she reminded me of the 2022 moment.
Badara, her date, I actually snubbed a bit on my way to gush over Tanum's look, but he was also a tall, tall drink of sequin with a sharp AF Instagram to match.
Becca Lim
This classic silhouette from Selkie with an added hoop skirt; my boyfriend and I could not stop staring at Becca Lim. I didn't connect until much later that I'd clocked her last year for downplaying a stunning Carolina Herrera dress. Romantic ballgowns always have my heart when they're done right.
The party segment always sort of terrifies me. The attention is overwhelming, and often there's a "hurry up and pose" sort of vibe; I never know if I'm going to have a blast or need to bolt. Somehow with SF Ballet, though, I tend to close out the night just wanting one more dance, and this year we went a couple extra rounds.
We always make new friends, this year adopting a recent SF transplant whose +1s ditched her at the last minute. Cecilia From Sebastopol — how she's saved in my phone — helped us navigate lots of small talk with strangers and random dances in different rooms.
We snuck a quick hello introduction to Harrison James, who was standing in front of us for cocktails at the top of the party hour. It was a really charming meet-cute where he's like a star and I'm this blogger, lol. "You write, right?" he asked nonchalantly, then quoted my story from last year's gala.
Um, I loved his stilettos.
At this point it's about midnight and my chunky, cheap gold heels are wishing me certain death, but Cecilia's cousin is randomly at the gala and knows about the "after after" party. You know, like that sort of Sex and the City moment where you know someone who owns a building nearby, half the ballet corps are there, along with free cocktails and an amazing DJ? Right — this never happens to me either. Except it did, and I got photos to prove it.
What's this, you ask? Only Nikisha Fogo still dancing after murdering her feet in pointe shoes. Okay, I actually didn't get a photo of her but did almost run her over with my Subaru while leaving the after after. These photos are from the amazing Devlin Shand — someone else who knows a thing or two about stilettos:
Apparently this party's been going on for more than a decade. A former SF Ballet dancer and his partner began it as a pizza party back when the performance segment ran longer, and the City Hall party ended at 12:30 am. "It was just way too early for the party to stop," he told me. Eventually, trustee members started showing up, and possibly: SF Ballet caught on with the Young Patrons' buffet dinner.
This year is the first the unofficial soirée came back post-pandemic. DJ JNE had one of the best sets I'd heard in a very long time — apparently you can catch her the last Thursday every month at Moby Dick.
Among a decidedly younger throng, I am reminded to mention the Young Patrons Circle, which opens up a ticket tier allowing us to hobnob with the San Francisco elite during dinnertime. In 2023, SF Ballet sat me with past co-president Lauren Schutz, a glamazon I always thought was related to Taylor Swift. She and the YPC energizes attendees age 21-40 to get more involved, which is of course much needed if philanthropy is to thrive into the next era of givers.
The night was a marathon. But I know I'll be back next year — probably in more comfortable shoes. Until then, let's all find each other this season at the ballet.
Saul Sugarman is editor in chief and owner of The Bold Italic.
The Bold Italic is a not-for-profit media organization, and we publish first-person perspectives about San Francisco and the Bay Area.
Many, many photos by the talented people at Drew Altizer Photography. A few by me. Photos of the after after party by Devlin Shand.
