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San Francisco Ballet Returns to Jacob’s Pillow After 70 Years

August 4, 2026

This August, San Francisco Ballet makes a historic return to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival for the first time since its East Coast debut there 70 years ago. In 1956, under the direction of Lew Christensen, SFB went to the Pillow with three programs featuring eight ballets by George Balanchine and Christensen himself. The performances were a tremendous success, and, amplified by international press coverage and critical acclaim, they helped propel SFB from regional significance to international renown.

Two dancers perform a pas de deux in the spotlight of a somewhat darken stage. the man, wearing a white collared shirt under a dark blue unitard, lunges to his left side, his right arm extended high, as he holds the ballerina by the waist with his left arm. His partner, wearing a short white dance dress, wraps her right arm around his left shoulders and stretches her left arm long, her legs extended in a split over her partner's's left thigh. Both dancers look towards her left hand and smile.
Frances Chung and Harrison James in Stevenson’s Three Preludes. Photo by Lindsey Rallo, courtesy Jacob’s Pillow.

For this year’s dynamic return, SFB will present distinct programs at both the indoor Ted Shawn Theatre (August 5–9) and outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage (August 5–8). The programming reflects artistic director Tamara Rojo’s vision for the company in honoring classical works while also pushing the art form forward. “Those two commitments aren’t in tension for me; they’re two sides of the same coin,” Rojo tells Pointe over email.

In this spirit, the mixed program at the Ted Shawn Theatre includes Grosse Fuge, by Hans van Manen; Dust Duet, by Akram Khan; and William Forsythe’s Prologue and The Barre Project. The performances will also feature live accompaniment by the two-time Grammy Award–winning Albany Symphony for select works.

The outdoor performances place classical technique center stage, with works by Ben Stevenson, Hans van Manen, Liam Scarlett, and others. “This program also invites other dance traditions—some Argentinian tango from van Manen and modern influences from Isadora Duncan—and really emphasizes the expressiveness you can find in both classical and contemporary ballet,” Rojo says.

Four female dancers in white leotards, white tights, and white slippers stand close together in a staggered line. A male dancer in wide-legged black pants dances to their left, facing them, with his bent right arm raised at his side, fist closed.He looks toward his right hand and keeps his left arm down at his side as he crosses his left leg back.
San Francisco Ballet in Hans Van Manen’s Grosse Fuge. Photo by Lindsey Rallo, courtesy Jacob’s Pillow.

“Our dancers don’t often have the opportunity to perform outdoors in nature, so I’m very excited to see them perform in such a gorgeous, grounding environment,” Rojo continues. “We are really thrilled to be re-introducing ourselves to the dance community in the Berkshires and to celebrate our unique shared history with one of the most influential presenters of international dance.”

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