DJ Q&A

TLB: I started dance in Delaware at the age of 3. My older sister danced and I wanted to be like her. Dance has always been in my life, so I can’t imagine what it would be like without it. I studied at CPYB (Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet) under Marcia Dale Weary from the age of 8-15. At 15, I joined the Joffrey II Dancers (second company of The Joffrey) and a year and a half later entered the main company. After a total of 10 years, I left there (for various reasons) and joined the San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer. I danced the leads in full lengths such as Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, as well as works by Balanchine, Robbins, Mark Morris, Helgi Tomasson, William Forsythe, David Bentley, Val Caniparoli, Stanton Welch, Julia Adam and Lar Lubovitch, among others. After 17 years as a principal, I retired and joined the faculty of the San Francisco Ballet. After 10 years, Helgi asked me to become a rehearsal director. Both of my sisters also became professional ballet dancers, and are both teaching now.

DJ:  How did you come to live in San Mateo?

TLB: When my husband and I moved to the Bay Area, we wanted a yard, a house, a garage … not an apartment. We were also thinking ahead to having children. So, we have always lived here in San Mateo, first renting, then buying the house we live in now. We often go to dinner in downtown San Mateo or Burlingame, which both have so many delicious restaurants. We also enjoy outings to Coyote Point, Central Park or bike rides through town and on the bike trail by the Bay.

DJ: What does a ballet rehearsal director do?

TLB: As a rehearsal director, I teach company class once or twice weekly. I am in charge of some ballets each season, and also share responsibility for portions of bigger pieces, such as full lengths. This means that I need to be very familiar with whatever is my responsibility so that I can teach, rehearse and coach the dancers in those pieces. During a rehearsal week (meaning no performances) we typically work Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. During performance weeks and the week or two prior to performing, the schedule shifts to Tuesday through Sunday, and the days can stretch much later.

DJ: Frost Amphitheater is a very different stage than the War Memorial Opera House which is home base for San Francisco Ballet. What are the differences in preparing to perform at Frost?

TLB:  The Frost Amphitheater is a wonderful outside venue, but being outside has its own challenges. Weather is one. During the day when we rehearse, it can be very hot, especially for those of us watching from the audience. We need hats, sunscreen and/or umbrellas. At night, it can be cooler, which can be hard on a dancer’s body. Also, start time is before it's dark, so lighting can look very different. And lastly, with no curtain, entering and exiting might be different than what you would see in an inside venue.

DJ: What will happen from today until the performances in August?

TLB: We will be working on the pieces that will be seen from the time we start back until we do the performance. We will also be working on other pieces that will be seen during our season. On-site rehearsals might happen the day before, or just the day of the show.

DJ: As a ballet professional and a parent, what advice would you give to other parents about dance as an activity for their children?

TLB:  I ALWAYS think it’s good to expose kids to dance. There is so much variety and so much beauty…as with any art form, exposure is key. Parents who want to start their children in ballet should first make sure that the establishment that they choose is a good one. Then, realize that even if those children don’t end up being dancers, it has enriched their lives in so many ways. It is a mental and physical discipline that teaches kids how to apply themselves and achieve long term goals; they can take these skills into anything they pursue later in life. 

ABOUT STARRY NIGHTS AT STANFORD: Join San Francisco Ballet on Thursday, Aug. 3, and Friday, Aug. 4, both nights at 7:30 p.m. for selections from SF Ballet’s next@90 festival and recent SF Ballet Galas. Frost Amphitheater at Stanford University. Estimated run time is two hours 13 minutes. VIP Tables are available for these performances and include table seating for four people, food and beverage table service, priority entry and a special VIP only menu of snacks, bites and premium beverages. All four seats must be purchased together. For information and tickets visit sfballet.org/productions/Stanford-live-starry-nights and live.stanford.edu/calendar/august-2023/starry-nights.

Susan Cohn is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the American Theatre Critics Association. She may be reached at susan@smdailyjournal.com.