Smuin Contemporary Ballet Is Back In-Person And More In San Francisco This Month

As we edge closer to the holidays, here are some of our favorite options to usher in the season of giving and celebrating.

Tess Lane in The Christmas Ballet, which is touring the Bay Area Nov. 19 to Dec. 26

CELEBRATE

After 18 months of virtual and outdoor performances, Smuin Contemporary Ballet is finally back to performing in person with a stellar 2021-22 season. Kicking off the program is the festive Christmas Ballet, which showcases classical ballet set to Christmas carols, along with contemporary dances set to modern Christmas tunes. Two exciting works by former Smuin choreographer Amy Seiwert also will be featured in February, including a bubbly revival of the Patsy Cline tribute, Dear Miss Cline, and her inventive ballet Been Through Diamonds, set to Mozart’s String Quintet in C Minor. With accessible, breathtaking shows, this season commemorates Smuin’s much-anticipated return to live shows. Opening night, Nov. 19

SIP

The gorgeous exterior of ONEHOPE Winery

ONEHOPE Winery of Napa Valley’s 2,000-member 20/20 Collective, which includes football star Aaron Rodgers, identifies and funds 20 significant and sustainable acts of hope each year. The handpicked members, dubbed Visionaries, support ONEHOPE’s mission to sell high-quality wine for a greater cause, with more than $7 million donated to global and local initiatives. These projects include providing year-round healthcare services to Napa Valley farmers and funding clean-water wells in Ethiopia and Malawi. 8301 Saint Helena Highway, Napa

GIVE

A Khmer Buddhist Foundation supports Cambodians impacted by COVID-19.

Following the Vietnam War and Cambodian genocide, Lyna Lam came to the Bay Area as a refugee at just 9 years old. Today, she’s giving back to the Khmer people, who constitute the majority of the Cambodian population. Her latest philanthropic effort—A Khmer Buddhist Foundation—is a San Francisco-based nonprofit working to preserve the rich culture and traditions of the Khmer people while providing support, funding and resources to elevate their lives. The foundation enriches and strengthens the lives of the Khmer population by offering grants to individuals and organizations that foster the Khmer arts and culture, aim to develop a thriving business community or attend college. “With a little help, hard work and a big vision, we can go a long way in elevating our culture,” says Lam.

HEAR

Violinist Alexi Kenney

With irresistible works from composers Vivaldi and Schubert, the California Symphony takes audiences through a celebration of strings during its Four Seasons performance. Headlining the two events is acclaimed Bay Area violinist Alexi Kenney with a moving performance of Vivaldi’s work. The show begins with work from the late George Walker, the first African American composer to win a Pulitzer Prize; the symphony will present the well-known and provocative work, “Lyric for Strings.” While the compositions are familiar, these interpretations will deliver exciting ways to hear beauty anew. Nov. 6-7, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, 925.943.7469

SEE

Carryig basket, circa 1890-1910. Yokayo Pomo, Native American, Mendocino, Calif. Sedge root, redbud shoots, willow shoots, oak or wild grape vine.

Artist Jules Tavernier’s career is displayed in paintings, watercolors and photographs, with a focus on his famous “Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California” (1878)—all at the de Young Museum. “Tavernier’s painting reveals a complex story from history, bringing to light the impact that Western expansion had on the Elem Pomo community in Northern California,” says Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Patrons also will find contemporary basketry from the Elem Pomo Indian colony—and a documentary film—showcasing a resilient culture. In partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the exhibit offers new perspectives and interpretations of Tavernier’s works. Dec. 18-April 17, 2022, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, 415.750.3600