World Premiere, Ballet Set to Queen, and More to be Presented in Smuin's DANCE SERIES 2

The company also revives Michael Smuin’s Rodin-inspired pas de deux, The Eternal Idol, originally choreographed for American Ballet Theatre superstars Cynthia Gregory and Ivan Nagy in 1969. The work of former Smuin dancer Rex Wheeler rounds out the evening with Sinfonietta, a spirited neoclassical ballet for five couples set to the eponymous piece by Boris Tchaikovsky. Former Smuin dancer Wheeler is a multi-faceted performer and choreographer whose drag alter ego, Lady Camden, captured international attention on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Smuin’s Dance Series 2 will be presented in San Francisco (April 25-May 4), Walnut Creek (May 23-24), Mountain View (May 29-June 1), and Carmel (June 7-8). For tickets ($25-$92) or more information.
 
Dance Series 2 concludes the first season helmed by Artistic Director Amy Seiwert, who assumed leadership of the company in 2024. The program follows a sold-out run of Smuin’s Choreography Showcase, a company display of new works created by its dancers. “Dance Series 2 honors Smuin Contemporary Ballet’s legacy while looking to our future. Each work speaks the ballet language with a unique dialect,” said Seiwert. “‘The Eternal Idol,’ a classic Michael Smuin duet, is full of innovative partnering and nuanced musicality. This was Michael at his finest. ‘Wild Sweet Love,’ by Trey McIntyre, is also incredibly musical but full of the quirks, surprises, and adventure that are staples of his choreographic style. My premiere, my first as Smuin's Artistic Director, is a profoundly personal work exploring the strength that comes when we let down our guard and reveal our vulnerability. This series embodies our company’s mission—to push creative boundaries, celebrate our roots, and captivate audiences with extraordinary storytelling.”
 
Amy Seiwert took the helm of Smuin as Artistic Director in July 2024, following the retirement of Celia Fushille. Her World Premiere in Dance Series 2, set to music by Oliver Davis and others, marks her first as Artistic Director and her 13th piece for the company overall. A former Smuin dancer, she was named the company’s first choreographer-in-residence by Fushille in 2008, a post she held for a decade. Seiwert has been recognized by Dance magazine as one of “25 to Watch,” and her signature choreography has been met with consistent acclaim, described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “keeping founder Michael Smuin’s legacy of unabashed showmanship alive.” A multiple-time Isadora Duncan Award nominee, her choreographic works have been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Kennedy Center, The Joyce Theater, The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, and others. Seiwert’s dances are in the repertory of companies nationwide including Atlanta Ballet, AXIS Dance, Ballet Austin, BalletMet, BalletX, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Oakland Ballet, ODC/Dance, Opera Parallèle, Robert Moses KIN, and Washington Ballet. Among her previous works created for Smuin are Dear Miss Cline, Renaissance, French Kiss, Been Through Diamonds, Broken Open, and many other critically acclaimed hits and audience favorites.
 
Wild Sweet Love by Trey McIntyre was lauded by The New York Times for its “fertility of invention and modernity of spirit,” and by The Enquirer as “edgy, highly colloquial, and wonderfully entertaining.” This is the fifth McIntyre work presented by Smuin—the company has commissioned and premiered two previous works (Oh, Inverted World, Be Here Now) and presented two others (The Naughty Boy, Blue Until June). McIntyre has worked for more than 30 years as a freelance choreographer, producing more than 100 pieces thus far. He has won numerous awards and honors including the Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Society of Arts and Letters, two personal grants for choreography from The National Endowment for the Arts, and he is a United States Artists Fellow.
 
Michael Smuin's The Eternal Idol was choreographed in 1969 as a tribute to French sculptor Auguste Rodin. This evocative pas de deux is set to Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, bringing Rodin’s sculptures to life in romance and reverie.
 
Originally from London, Rex Wheeler is a multi-faceted drag performer, actor, producer and choreographer. Sinfonietta is a sprightly neoclassical ballet for five couples set to the playful arrangement for strings of the same name by composer Boris Tchaikovsky. Originally created for the Choreography Showcase, Wheeler was commissioned to expand the work by Artistic Director Emerita Celia Fushille. It premiered in September 2018, with critics calling it “Joyful. Spirited. Danced with brio.” (DanceTabs). Trained in the UK at the Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst, Wheeler danced with the Slovak National Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, and Smuin before pursuing a career in choreography. In 2022 his alter ego Lady Camden was named fan favorite and first runner-up on Season 14 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” He has since performed all over the world, starring in solo shows and world tours, and producing music as well as continuing to choreograph and produce shows in San Francisco. Wheeler recently starred in a documentary about his career, “Lady Like,” directed by Luke Willis, which has been featured in film festivals worldwide.