Smuin Announces Dancers Joining Company For 21/22 Season

As it returns to live performances, Smuin Contemporary Ballet announces the addition of four new dancers: Stéphano Candreva, Marc LaPierre, Yuri Rogers, and Claire Buehler, who is an apprentice this season. These talented performers will make their Smuin debuts dancing live on Bay Area stages in The Christmas Ballet, appearing in Walnut Creek, Mountain View, Carmel and San Francisco, November 19 - December 26, 2021. Tickets ($33-99) are now available at www.smuinballet.org or by calling (415) 912-1899.

Stéphano Candreva was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he trained in ballet at Escola de Dança Alice Arja. Candreva began his career performing with Brazilian professional companies Cisne Negro Cia de Dança and Teatro Sesiminas. He has danced in the U.S. with City Ballet of San Diego, California Ballet, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and most recently Atlanta Ballet. Candreva has performed in works by acclaimed choreographers including Septime Webre, Stanton Welch, George Balanchine, Yuri Possokhov, Mark Morris, Ricardo Amarante, Max Petrov, and Elizabeth Wistrich.

Marc LaPierre began his early training at Ballet Etudes in Norwalk, Connecticut, under the direction of Nanette Vallas. He continued his studies at Ballet Academy East in New York City under the direction of Darla Hoover and at age 16, Marc furthered his training at The School of American Ballet. He went on to dance with Los Angeles Ballet, where he performed in works by August Bournonville, George Balanchine, Aszure Barton, and Alejandro Cerrudo, among others. He joined Oregon Ballet Theatre as an apprentice and was promoted to the Company corps de ballet in his second season. During his time with Oregon Ballet Theatre, he danced in works by Alvin Ailey, Ben Stevenson, Nicolo Fonte, Christopher Stowell, and Trey McIntyre.

Yuri Rogers began his training with the Academy of Ballet San Francisco under the direction of Richard Gibson and Zory Karah, before continuing his training and performing with Joffrey Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, and BalletMet. Rogers has performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Leiland Charles, and Edwaard Liang.

Prior to joining Smuin as an apprentice, Milwaukee native Claire Buehler trained at the Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy. She has danced with the Studio Company at Oklahoma City Ballet, Nashville Ballet II, and Minnesota Ballet, performing in acclaimed works such as Gina Patterson's 72 Steps, Paul Vasterling's Seasons, Karl Von Rabenau's Sleeping Beauty, and Robert Mills' Swan Lake. Buehler has also been featured in works by Chris Stuart, Charlotte Boyd-Christensen, and Mollie Sansone.

For more than 25 years Smuin has expanded the boundaries of contemporary ballet, engaging and delighting audiences with uncommon physicality and expression. Founded in San Francisco in 1994 by Tony and Emmy award-winning choreographer Michael Smuin, the company is committed to creating work that merges the diverse vocabularies of classical ballet and contemporary dance. As Artistic Director since 2007, Celia Fushille has maintained Michael Smuin's legacy while enriching the Company's impressive repertoire by collaborating with inventive choreographers from around the world, commissioning world premieres, and bringing new contemporary choreographic voices to the Smuin stage.

Daily Newspaper sponsor for Smuin's 2021/2022 season is the San Francisco Chronicle.

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