San Francisco Ballet is launching Tiny Dances, a new family series that introduces children ages 2 to 8 to live ballet. It debuts Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7 and 8, with an adapted Swan Lake at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St.
A different Swan Lake
SF Ballet says the production, developed by Associate Artistic Director Antonio Castilla, shortens the classic, adds an on-stage narrator and gives the traditionally tragic ending an uplifting spin, recasting Odette as a heroine in charge of her own story. It is danced by SF Ballet School's pre-professional Trainees and Level 8 students to a recorded score. The run time is 1 hour and 20 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission.
Showtimes and tickets
Shows are at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days. The Saturday 3 p.m. show is a sensory-friendly performance with modified lighting and sound, a relaxed house, an ASL interpreter and quiet spaces. Tickets start at $25, and an "Enchanted Experience" upgrade adds premium seating, a character photo and a souvenir.
After San Francisco, SF Ballet says Tiny Dances will go to Walnut Creek in late May 2027 and Mountain View in early June 2027. Project SF notes the SF Coffee Festival is nearby at Fort Mason the same weekend.