San Francisco Ballet’s resident choreographer, Yuri Possokhov, drew on poignant memories of lilacs from his ballet training in Moscow to create Diving into the Lilacs. This pas de deux, one of three in the ballet, is a sensual and fluid exploration of romantic longing and resistance.

“Diving into the Lilacs provides a sweeping showcase of lush dancing... with no shortage of nostalgia and passion.”
– Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, January 29, 2009

“Fresh, seemingly spontaneous… Dancers kneel, stretch and ambulate, hands gesture, arms sweep, yet transitions melt into new incidents and you simply go along for the ride.”
– Allan Ulrich, Voice of Dance, January 29, 2009

San Francisco Ballet is America’s oldest professional ballet company and one of the three largest ballet companies in the U.S. Guided in its early years by brothers Lew, Willam and Harold Christensen, SFB performed the first American productions of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, as well as the first production of Coppélia choreographed by an American. Under the direction of Helgi Tomasson since 1985, SFB presents more than 100 performances annually, both locally and internationally.