As the site of its East Coast debut, Jacob’s Pillow played a significant role in the development of the San Francisco Ballet. The three-week season included eight ballets by George Balanchine and company director Lew Christensen, and received enthusiastic international press attention that led directly to a State Department tour of eleven countries in the Far East. Revered as America’s oldest classical company, the San Francisco Ballet began in 1933 as an adjunct to the San Francisco Opera and continues today under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. Among the well-known dancers who have risen through the company’s ranks are Cynthia Gregory and Boston Ballet director Mikko Nissinen.
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