AUDIENCE PROGRAMS
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SF BALLET
Connect with the art form, artists, and productions through conversations, lectures, and experiences that bring the ballet beyond the stage and into communities.
MEET THE ARTIST SERIES
Step inside the creative process with conversations that bring choreographers, dancers, musicians, and artistic voices directly to the audience. These free Meet the Artist interviews are hosted 55-minutes before performances on Friday evenings and Sunday matinees, with open seating in the orchestra level of the Opera House. Plus, listen to past Meet the Artist interviews everywhere you listen to podcasts.
PRE-PERFORMANCE EVENTS
Take a deep dive into the ballet productions with a dynamic series of pre-performance talks by museum curators, authors, and scholars before select performances throughout the 2026 Season. These free pre-performance talks offer rare insight into the works onstage. Dates will be announced in November 2025.
OPERA HOUSE TOURS
Backstage like you’ve never seen it before. Join SF Ballet on a 2-hour walking tour of the War Memorial Opera House – a 1932 Beaux-Arts building designed by Arthur Brown. Go behind the scenes to learn about the unique technical and structural elements of the auditorium and experience the Opera House like the artists. Dates will be announced in November 2025. Tickets for tours will go on sale in December 2025.
BRINGING KIDS TO PERFORMANCES
Bringing a child to experience their first ballet performance? Check out these pre-performance tips for what to expect, how to select seats for your family, and resources to help prepare your child for the performance to ensure an enjoyable and relaxed experience for everyone.
FAMILY VIEWING AREA
Take a break in the Family Viewing Area. San Francisco Ballet provides a dedicated family-friendly area for when young audience members need a pause from the show. Located inside the Opera House in the north lobby of the Dress Circle (3rd level) during Nutcracker and select performances throughout the Season.
Whether your child needs a break during a performance, you cannot return to your seat due to needing to use the restroom during the performance, or you arrive late and can’t be seated until intermission, the Family Viewing Area provides a monitor to watch all the action happening on the stage as well as self-serve activities for children. From children’s books and coloring activities, to writing letters to the dancers and trying on a tutu, the Family Viewing Area will entertain children until they’re ready to get back to the performance.