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For dancer Nathaniel Remez, his journey with the San Francisco Ballet began as a young teenager over a decade ago, after he had spent two summers training in the company’s summer intensive programs.
“When I was 17, I moved out to San Francisco,” Remez said. “I got accepted into the school from the summer program in 2014, and I did a year in the school, a year in the trainee program, which is the interim program between the school and the company, and then was hired as an apprentice to the company in 2016. I was hired into the corps in 2017. And I’ve been working here ever since.”
Since 2017, Remez has performed in a diverse array of S.F. Ballet productions, as both a member of the corps as well as in more dramatic, character-based roles. He will be one of San Francisco Ballet’s dancers in their upcoming program of works at Frost Amphitheater, “Starry Nights,” in which he will be playing the lead villain role of Von Rothbart in “Swan Lake.”
“Rothbart is a role that I’ve done a number of times now,” Remez said. “In this production, he’s in his creature form — he’s this bird of prey and human hybrid. I watched a lot of videos and did a lot of research on birds of prey, owls, falcons and hawks, and how they hunt and interact with their environment. And I was able to find some things that felt comfortable and little details that felt natural that I could incorporate into my body language and the way I perform this role.”
Act II of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” choreographed by former San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson and featuring Remez’s avian alter ego, is one of five works presented by the Ballet as a part of “Starry Nights.” The show will also feature Rachmaninoff’s “Three Preludes,” choreographed by Ben Stevenson, as well as three choreographies by Dutch contemporary Ballet master Hans van Manen: “Variations for Two Couples,” “Solo” and “5 Tango’s,” which will also feature Remez.
“I don’t want to say ‘5 Tango’s’ is flirtatious, because that feels lighter than it actually is,” Remez said. “It’s heavy and sultry, and dynamic at the same time. There are so many different textures and speeds and attitudes in the piece. And still, I find it flows really well, and is really fun to watch.”
Ranging from traditional to the modern, the show’s pieces highlight the range of the S.F. Ballet’s repertoire, and the versatility of its dancers.
“A lot of people when they think of ballet, they think of ‘Swan Lake,’ ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ these hundreds and hundreds of years-old classics that might not appeal to everybody,” Remez said. “They might seem a little stuffy. But the contemporary work that we do might seem much more accessible to people. Some people love ballet for the classics. But again, some people don’t, and it can be a barrier to entry for some audience members. And if they can come and see this and be like, ‘I didn’t love ‘Swan Lake,’ but that Hans van Manen stuff was super interesting,’ then their conception of ballet can be broadened and they might be more likely to engage with our work in the future.”
With a sprawling lawn and a casual, family-friendly atmosphere, the nontraditional venue that is Frost Amphitheater also expands the appeal and accessibility of the Ballet’s repertoire, typically performed in the grand and posh War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. This setting does not come without challenges, however.
“A challenge is definitely the weather,” Remez said. “We are always anxious about the weather and the temperature, because if it’s very cold, it’s not easy for us to keep our bodies warm and flexible and ready to dance. That is something that we’re all cognizant of going into this show, since we aren’t used to performing outdoors.”
However, the outdoor venue, in addition to increasing accessibility, also allows “Swan Lake” to be performed in a setting perhaps much closer to the forest and lake central to the story itself, allowing dancers like Remez to feel even more deeply in touch with their respective characters and bringing an immersive experience to audiences.
“Starry Nights” promises to bring world-class artistry to Peninsula audiences in a picturesque setting, featuring strong characters, technical excellence and choreographic versatility. And perhaps a strikingly authentic portrayal of a bird of prey, too.
July 26-27 at 7:30pm at Frost Amphitheater, 351 Lasuen St, Stanford. Tickets are $15-$250. live.stanford.edu.