2024-2025 Season Performances
State Street Ballet’s 2024-2025 Season is generously sponsored by
Dr. Nicole Callahan
Roger and Sarah Chrisman
Margo Cohen-Feinberg and Robert Feinberg
Ann Jackson Family Foundation
Tim Mikel
Sara Miller McCune
Marc and Pauline Sylvain
Carrie Towbes for the Michael Towbes Fund
Richard Watts
Anonymous
Live Music Sponsors: Manitou Fund / Nora McNeely Hurley
We gratefully acknowledge our foundation, community, media, and event partners for their enthusiastic support of our work. We are so thankful for the generosity of these wonderful organizations and businesses and for their investment in our work and the longevity of our art. Click here to see all of State Street Ballet’s sponsors.
Scheherazade and The Firebird
Saturday, October 26, 2024; 7:30 pm
Sunday, October 27, 2024; 2:00 pm
The Granada Theatre
State Street Ballet’s 30th Anniversary Season launches with a dynamic double bill of Scheherazade and The Firebird. With live accompaniment by the Santa Barbara Symphony, Nir Kabaretti, Music and Artistic Director, the enchanting scores of Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov conjure a fantastical Russian fairy tale and a fable of faraway lands. Witness two timeless tales of good and evil as exhilarating original choreography transports you to the mystical realms inhabited by our intrepid female protagonists.
Choreography by Autumn Eckman and William Soleau
Music by Igor Stravinsky and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakav
Conducted by Nir Kabaretti
““Perfection in conception and execution…. Art that devastates the senses.” ”
The Nutcracker
Saturday, December 21, 2024; 2:00 pm
Saturday, December 21, 2024; 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 22, 2024; 2:00 pm
The Granada Theatre
One of State Street Ballet’s most delightful productions, this magical story is a favorite for audiences of all ages. Glittering snowflakes, waltzing flowers, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her dazzling castle of characters take Clara on an exciting adventure to the Kingdom of Sweets. Accompanied by the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra, an international cast of professional dancers unite with over 100 young dancers from the State Street Ballet Academy for an unforgettable weekend of performances to celebrate the season's magic.
Choreography by Rodney Gustafson
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Featuring Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra
Conducted by Brian Asher Alhadeff
““Brilliance within tradition…opulent productions that remind us what a night at the theater is all about.””
The Little Mermaid
Saturday, March 1, 2025; 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 2, 2025; 2:00 pm
Performance Sponsor Marta Holsman Babson
The Lobero Theatre
Join us on a journey under the sea for a world premiere featuring all-new sets, costumes, life-sized puppets, and a world premiere musical score by composer Charles Fernandez. In this heartwarming tale, The Little Mermaid takes the ultimate adventure, sacrificing her tail and her voice to experience life as a human and pursue true love. An imaginative take on a classic story, this production is perfect for all ages.
Choreography by Megan Philipp and Cecily MacDougall
Music by Charles Fernandez (World Premiere)
Featuring the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra
Conducted by Brian Asher Alhadeff
“…a powerful reminder of the way that dance can help access the emotional truths at the heart of our most profound experiences.””
*Young audience members are invited to enter the theater at 1:15 pm on March 2nd to take a photo with a real ballerina and hear her tell the story of The Little Mermaid.
*Families with special needs or small children are invited to our first sensory-friendly Performance on March 1 at 2:00 pm. During sensory-friendly performances, the lights in the theater stay on, the music is played more quietly, fidget items are welcome, and patrons can move, vocalize, and behave in ways that are often unfamiliar in other performance settings. Tickets are $20; subsidized tickets are available upon request.
The Brilliance Program:
Balanchine, Arpino, And Beyond
Friday, May 9, 2025; 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 10, 2025; 2:00 pm
The Lobero Theatre
Prepare for an electrifying finale as we celebrate our 30th anniversary with The Brilliance Program! Experience contemporary innovation and classical elegance with George Balanchine's "Who Cares?" and "Birthday Variations" by Joffrey Ballet’s Gerald Arpino. Plus, be the first to witness a world premiere by the visionary Kassandra Taylor Newberry, a choreographer known for pushing artistic boundaries through audience favorites such as Fold and (con)version. Join us for an unforgettable evening of passion and brilliance that will leave you longing for more.
Choreography by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Kassandra Taylor Newberry
Music by George Gershwin and Giuseppe Verdi
Accompanied by the Opera Santa Barbara Orchestra
Conducted by Kostis Protopapas
Join us after the performance on May 9 for a question-and-answer session with the artists.
“Beautiful and thought-provoking dance. Truly a not-to-be-missed company!””
State Street Ballet 30th Anniversary Gala
We celebrated our 30th Anniversary Season in style at the State Street Ballet Honors Gala on September 28, 2024 at the Music Academy of the West.
Scheherazade and The Firebird
Our 30th Anniversary Season launches with a dynamic double bill, featuring live orchestration of the enchanting scores of Rimsky-Korsakav and Stravinsky.
Our Dancers
Your support allows us to bring the beauty of dance to a wide audience, making the arts accessible to all, building connectivity, and inspiring generations to come. Our dancers are key to bringing that beauty to life.