One of the most visionary choreographers of our time, Alonso King founded his company in 1982; since then, Lines has changed the way we think about ballet. King calls his work “thought structures,” and it in these structures that we see and feel the poetry and wonder so consistently apparent in his dances.
As a result of their training with King, Lines dancers are able to express the finest and deepest choreographic detail, immersing audiences in the experience. The through-lines of each gesture seem to leave their traces in the air once the movement is made, creating a connection to every emotion transmitted. The Village Voice has called the Lines dancers “diamonds – twisting in the light or rapidly scratching complex codes on glass.” Pieces such as “Triangle of the Squinches” and “Dust and Light” are perfect examples of how King is able to disseminate the relationship between the finite and the infinite through his luminous and sometimes enigmatic approach to movement.
Breathtakingly formed, LINES Ballet is further enhanced by the collaborations between other artists such as dancers from the Lobaye forest of Central African Republic, Jazz musician Pharaoh Sanders, India’s tabla virtuoso Zakir Jussain, and the Shaolin Monks.
King has won numerous awards and fellowships over the years, including the San Francisco Mayor’s Art Award in Oct 2008 where Mayor Gavin Newsom called King “a San Francisco treasure,” the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award for “moving ballet in a very 21st century direction,” and a coveted Bessie award. Based in the Bay Area, the company performs worldwide, also offering arts education programs for developing young dancers. (MK)
Alonzo King/LINES Ballet Information
- Public Transportation: Excellent (a short walk from buses 14, 30, and 45 at 3rd Street/Mission Street; and buses 5, 6, 9, 21, 31, 38, 38L, and 71, light rail lines F, J, K, L, M, N, and T, and BART trains at the Montgomery Street station. Also accessible by Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, and Caltrain)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: Two seasonal programs (one in the fall and one in the spring), each with about eight performances over two weeks
- Ticket Prices: Range from $15 to $65. Student tickets for select performances are $15 and are located in the upper terrace section
- Group Discounts: Groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount
- Subscriptions: Subscriptions are available for either the fall or spring seasons and include priority seating and flexible ticket-exchange privileges. Subscribers save 20%
- Membership: Starting with contributions of $100, donors receive a subscription to the donor newsletter, recognition in home season programs, and a 10% discount on all LINES Ballet merchandise.
