TL;DR summary: Smuin Contemporary Ballet brings “French Kiss” to Cowell Theater at Fort Mason for six San Francisco performances from October 9 through October 18, 2026. The roughly two-hour mixed-repertory program pairs Michael Smuin’s elegiac “Stabat Mater” with My’Kal Stromile’s new “I-SCRIT-AH-SCREE-TAH-SKRATT” and Amy Seiwert’s stylish, Pink Martini-scored “French Kiss.” Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m.; weekend matinees begin at 2 p.m. The October 16 performance is ASL interpreted, and the October 17 matinee is audio described. Buy through Smuin’s official event page, allow extra time for Fort Mason parking or transit, and bring a layer for the waterfront.
Smuin Contemporary Ballet opens its 2026–27 season with a program built on contrast: grief and hope, structured thought and spontaneity, classical technique and cocktail-hour cool. The company’s official “French Kiss” event page confirms six performances at Cowell Theater from October 9 through October 18, bringing the final leg of the Bay Area run to San Francisco’s northern waterfront. Set between the bay and the Marina, it is a fine example of why proximity to the arts counts among the quiet luxuries of San Francisco real estate.
“French Kiss” is the title of both the evening and its bright closing ballet, but this is a three-work program. Michael Smuin’s “Stabat Mater” begins in solemn reflection. My’Kal Stromile’s world premiere, “I-SCRIT-AH-SCREE-TAH-SKRATT,” turns the mechanics of thought into movement. Amy Seiwert’s “French Kiss” then changes the temperature with Pink Martini, vivid color, and quicksilver partnering.
For viewers new to the company, this is a particularly clear introduction to its range. A concise history of Smuin Contemporary Ballet helps place the program within a San Francisco dance tradition that has always been comfortable crossing stylistic lines.
“French Kiss” 2026 Dates and Times in San Francisco
All San Francisco performances take place at Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94123.
- Friday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m.: Opening night in San Francisco; Smuin lists a meet-and-greet.
- Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m.
- Thursday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m.: ASL interpreted.
- Saturday, October 17 at 2 p.m.: Audio described.
- Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m.: Final performance.
Ticket inventory and prices can change by performance and seating section. Use the official event page rather than a resale listing, select the San Francisco date, and review the checkout total before purchasing. You can also reach Smuin’s box office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 415-912-1899 or [email protected].
The same program appeared first in Mountain View and Walnut Creek. The Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts lists a two-hour runtime, including two intermissions. That is the best current planning estimate for San Francisco, but the Cowell Theater ticket listing should be checked again before the selected performance.
Three Ballets, Three Distinct Ways of Seeing
The strongest reason to attend “French Kiss” is its shape. This is not an evening that holds one emotional register. It moves from collective loss to the restlessness of thought and finally to sophisticated play.
Smuin Ballet dancers perform a partnered sequence, illustrating the physicality, precision, and expressive range that shape the company’s contemporary ballet work. Photo by stevedisenhof on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
“Stabat Mater”: Grief, Resilience, and Michael Smuin’s Legacy
Michael Smuin created “Stabat Mater” in response to September 11, 2001, and premiered it on May 15, 2002. Set to music by Antonín Dvořák, the ballet returns to the company’s stage for the first time since 2016 as Smuin approaches the 20th anniversary of its founder’s death in April 2027.
The company describes the work as an exploration of loss, communal resilience, and hope. That context matters. “Stabat Mater” is not simply a historical revival placed at the front of a season-opening bill; it is the program’s emotional foundation. It also offers an illuminating contrast to the grand repertory of the War Memorial Opera House, showing how differently an intimate theater can hold large themes.
“I-SCRIT-AH-SCREE-TAH-SKRATT”: Thought Made Physical
My’Kal Stromile’s “I-SCRIT-AH-SCREE-TAH-SKRATT” received its world premiere on September 11, 2026. Stromile, making his Bay Area debut after commissions for the Paris Opera Ballet and Boston Ballet, also designed the costumes and stage environment. The score is by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
The title is an invented phonetic phrase: language gathering itself before it becomes coherent. Stromile uses classical ballet orientations, including croisé, effacé, and écarté, as flexible systems rather than fixed poses. Bodies cross, separate, interrupt, accumulate, and reorganize. Silence gives thought room to form; music becomes another mode of speech.
For viewers interested in how contemporary choreographers stretch ballet’s inherited vocabulary, the piece sits in the same conversation as San Francisco Ballet’s celebration of Hans van Manen’s dance legacy. The approaches differ, but both reward attention to structure, spacing, and the intelligence of the ensemble.
“French Kiss”: Amy Seiwert’s Love Letter to Paris
Amy Seiwert’s “French Kiss” premiered with Smuin on April 28, 2023. Seiwert has described it as a love letter to time she spent in Paris in her twenties. Pink Martini supplies the musical world; Susan Roemer designed the costumes, and Jim French designed the lighting.
The ballet’s wit comes through composition rather than novelty alone. Seiwert translates the atmosphere of French-language lounge songs and cosmopolitan pop into shifting group patterns and inventive partnering. The result is polished without becoming precious, a welcome lift after the density of the first two works.
The finale also shows why San Francisco’s dance calendar works best as an ecosystem: large ceremonial nights like the San Francisco Ballet Opening Night Gala and compact contemporary programs at Cowell Theater offer very different ways into the form.
Cowell Theater: An Intimate Waterfront Setting
Cowell Theater at Fort Mason sits at the north end of Pier 2. The 437-seat room is large enough for a full theatrical experience but compact enough to keep partnering, footwork, and facial detail legible from much of the house. Fort Mason lists the venue as fully wheelchair accessible and equipped with assistive-listening devices.
The campus itself changes the rhythm of an evening out. It occupies the waterfront between Aquatic Park and Marina Green, with open-bay weather and long sightlines before the audience steps inside. The neighboring Marina District makes it easy to extend the visit with a walk, coffee, dinner, or a drink, but waterfront wind can make October feel cooler than the temperature suggests. Bring a light layer even if the rest of the city feels mild.
Fort Mason’s waterfront campus offers views across the marina, historic buildings, and open space that shape the setting for an evening at Cowell Theater. Photo by C. Reid Taylor on Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
There is no published formal dress code for the regular “French Kiss” performances. Smart casual is a comfortable default, and practicality matters more than ceremony at Fort Mason. The separate “Smuin…After Hours” event on October 17 does specify “Elevated San Francisco Chic,” but that ticket is for a different performance-and-dance-party program, not the October 17 matinee of “French Kiss.”
Getting to Fort Mason by Transit, Rideshare, Bike, or Car
Fort Mason’s main entrance is off Marina Boulevard at Buchanan Street. The venue lists Muni routes 28, 30, 30X, 43, and 49 as serving the campus area; Golden Gate Transit stops near Lombard and Fillmore streets. Check same-day service before leaving, especially for evening and weekend schedules. For help with transfers and fares before the trip, see our San Francisco public transportation guide.
For rideshare, use 2 Marina Boulevard and leave time to walk from the drop-off area to Cowell Theater at Pier 2. Cyclists can approach along the waterfront, but should confirm current bike-parking locations and bring a reliable lock.
Fort Mason provides paid on-site parking, but the lot can fill when several campus events overlap. As of September 29, 2026, posted event-day rates are $6 for up to one hour, $12 for one to two hours, $18 for two to three hours, $24 for three to four hours, and $30 for more than four hours. Rates can rise on high-attendance dates, and overnight parking is not allowed. Arriving 30 to 45 minutes early is the calmest plan if driving.
Accessibility Details for the San Francisco Run
The Friday, October 16 performance at 7:30 p.m. is marked ASL interpreted on Smuin’s official calendar. The Saturday, October 17 matinee at 2 p.m. is marked audio described. Cowell Theater is listed by Fort Mason as fully wheelchair accessible and offers assistive-listening devices.
Accessibility needs vary, and seating inventory may affect the best ticket choice. Contact the Smuin box office before purchasing if wheelchair locations, companion seating, audio-description logistics, sightlines to the ASL interpreter, or assistive-listening equipment will shape the visit. The published box-office number is 415-912-1899.
Where to Eat or Drink Before the Performance
Fort Mason has several useful options on the same campus. Hours, private events, and kitchen cutoffs can change, so confirm the selected date and reserve where possible.
- Greens Restaurant serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Its dining-room time allotments make a reservation especially helpful before a 7:30 p.m. curtain.
- Radhaus is an Alpine beer hall and restaurant in Building A. Its posted schedule covers the “French Kiss” performance days, but check for special hours before visiting.
- The Interval at Long Now offers cocktails, beer, wine, coffee, and a room designed for lingering conversation. It works naturally after a matinee or as a later stop following an evening show.
- Equator Coffees at Fort Mason occupies the Gatehouse and currently closes at 5 p.m., so it is best suited to the Saturday or Sunday matinee rather than an evening performance.
For matinees, a short waterfront walk before the show leaves enough margin to find the theater without rushing. For evening performances, build dinner around a firm departure time. Cowell Theater is at the far end of Pier 2, not at the campus gate.
How “French Kiss” Fits Into a San Francisco Arts Weekend
The program works well as the anchor for a broader performing-arts weekend because it covers so much ground in one sitting. If the Pink Martini finale is what wins you over, look beyond ballet to the city’s live music scene. If Dvořák’s orchestral scale is the draw, the San Francisco Symphony is a natural next stop, and Davies Symphony Hall rewards time spent with both its architecture and its programming.
Smuin Ballet dancers perform a partnered sequence, reflecting the range of movement and live performance that contributes to San Francisco’s broader arts scene. Photo by stevedisenhof on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Theatergoers have just as many connections to follow. The American Conservatory Theater and the historic Toni Rembe Theater offer another view of how movement, text, design, and performance share the city’s stages.
For contemporary visual and performing arts, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts offers a downtown counterpoint to Fort Mason’s waterfront setting. The point is not to overfill a weekend. It is to notice how “French Kiss” connects with a wider local appetite for work that moves comfortably between tradition and experiment.
Practical Tips Before You Go
- Buy through Smuin’s official event page and double-check the city, date, and time before checkout.
- Allow about two hours for the program, including two intermissions, while confirming the final runtime for Cowell Theater.
- Arrive 30 minutes early, or 45 minutes early if parking, collecting tickets, or coordinating accessibility services.
- Bring a layer for the waterfront walk.
- Choose October 16 for the ASL-interpreted performance or October 17 for audio description.
- Contact the box office in advance for wheelchair seating, companion seating, interpreter sightlines, or assistive-listening questions.
- Keep plans after the show flexible; intermission and curtain times can shift slightly.
A Season Opener With a Real Point of View
“French Kiss” does more than place three attractive works on one bill. Its sequence makes an argument about what a contemporary ballet company can carry at once: memory without nostalgia, formal investigation without coldness, and pleasure without weightlessness.
A Smuin Ballet duet demonstrates the strength, balance, and expressive physicality of the company’s choreographic style. Photo by stevedisenhof on Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0
That balance gives newcomers an accessible entry and regular dance audiences plenty to examine. “Stabat Mater” asks the room to sit with collective loss. “I-SCRIT-AH-SCREE-TAH-SKRATT” makes cognition visible through bodies and space. “French Kiss” sends the evening out on color, rhythm, and charm. At Cowell Theater, close enough to register the details and framed by the waterfront beyond the doors, the progression should land with unusual clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smuin Ballet’s “French Kiss” 2026
When is Smuin Ballet’s “French Kiss” in San Francisco?
The San Francisco run is October 9–18, 2026. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on October 9, 10, 15, and 16, and at 2 p.m. on October 17 and 18.
Where is “French Kiss” being performed?
All San Francisco performances take place at Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94123. Cowell Theater is at the north end of Pier 2.
What ballets are on the program?
The program includes Michael Smuin’s “Stabat Mater,” My’Kal Stromile’s world premiere “I-SCRIT-AH-SCREE-TAH-SKRATT,” and Amy Seiwert’s “French Kiss,” set to music by Pink Martini.
How long is Smuin Ballet’s “French Kiss”?
The Mountain View presenter lists the program at two hours, including two intermissions. Treat that as the current planning estimate and confirm the San Francisco runtime on the official ticket page or with Smuin’s box office.
Is “French Kiss” accessible?
Smuin marks the October 16 performance as ASL interpreted and the October 17 matinee as audio described. Fort Mason lists Cowell Theater as fully wheelchair accessible with assistive-listening devices. Contact the box office in advance to coordinate specific access needs.
Is “French Kiss” appropriate for children?
The Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts lists the program as appropriate for all ages. Families should still consider the roughly two-hour length and the serious themes in “Stabat Mater,” and confirm any San Francisco ticketing or age policy with Smuin before purchasing.
What is the best way to get to Cowell Theater?
Muni routes 28, 30, 30X, 43, and 49 serve the Fort Mason area. Rideshare, biking, and paid on-site parking are also options. Because the parking lot can fill during overlapping events, transit or an early arrival is the more predictable plan.
Is “Smuin…After Hours” part of “French Kiss”?
No. “Smuin…After Hours” is a separately ticketed performance and dance party at Cowell Theater on Saturday, October 17 from 7 to 10 p.m. It is distinct from the 2 p.m. audio-described “French Kiss” matinee that day.