Principal Dancer Yuan Yuan Tan says goodbye after 29 years at San Francsico Ballet
San Francisco Ballet (SF Ballet) Principal Dancer Yuan Yuan Tan will give her final performance with the company on Wednesday 14 February 2024 as Marguerite in Frederick Ashton‘s Marguerite and Armand.
I am indebted to my mentors and teachers, whose wisdom, encouragement, and belief in my potential have been instrumental in my success – said Tan – and to my dancer colleagues and collaborators, thank you for the shared moments of triumph. Through collective dedication and hard work, we have created a legacy that goes beyond individual accomplishments.
Finally, to the San Francisco audiences over the last three decades, I express my sincere thanks. Your belief in me has been a driving force, and I am grateful for the inspiration you have provided. As I reflect on the years gone by and enter the next stage of my career, I am reminded of the importance of contributing to the growth and success of others and inspired to continue making a positive impact in ballet and beyond.
Tan was born in Shanghai and joined SF Ballet as a soloist in 1995 and promoted to principal dancer in 1997, making her the youngest (and first Chinese) principal dancer in the company’s history. Her 29-year career in San Francisco has exemplified a devotion to dance and a passion to create art that is elegant, human, and astonishing.
Her repertoire encompasses nearly 100 classical, neoclassical, and contemporary ballets choreographed by George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier, Christopher Wheeldon, Helgi Tomasson, Yuri Possokhov, Edwaard Liang, and Wayne McGregor, among others. Most notably, she has memorably interpreted classical characters such as Giselle, Aurora, and Odette/Odile, as well as contemporary characters such as the Little Mermaid, Tatiana, and the Princess (RAkU).
SF Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo said,
Yuan Yuan has made an extraordinary contribution to San Francisco Ballet and to the global community of artists and has inspired generations of ballerinas and audience members.
She has been awarded the Mayor of San Francisco Art Award on two separate occasions, in 2018 and in 2022. Former San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell noted,
Her grace, skill, versatility, and strength have helped her become the first Chinese prima ballerina in the United States and one of the greatest Chinese ballerinas of all time. She has gracefully served as cultural ambassador for San Francisco and the United States. We are immensely grateful for her contributions to our city’s cultural history.
Tan received SF Ballet’s inaugural Silver Artists Society award in 2022, recognizing her 27th anniversary with the Company and longstanding contributions to SF Ballet.
In 2004, Tan was featured on a cover of Time as a “Hero of Asia”.
Tickets to Yuan Yuan Tan’s farewell performance on February 14 may be purchased online at sfballet.org.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
An adorable woman and Primaballerina. Who loves dance and ballett must love her. Thanks GOD we have videos. I hope she will work as a ballett misstres and coach. Bye bye Yuan Yuan and toitoitoi.