sf_herminator Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 I received the following email today: As a valued member of San Francisco Ballet, you’re the first to know! Tiit Helimets’ final performance as Principal Dancer will be held on February 11 during the Garland / Roberts / Rowe Premieres at the next@90 festival. Helimets joined San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer in 2005 and has appeared in hundreds of performances with the Company since. He will remain on SF Ballet’s roster as a Principal Character Dancer. You can watch him perform in MADCAP opening night, January 20 at 8 pm or check casting here. Thank you and happy retirement, Tiit! I knew this was coming, but was hoping that we would still see Tiit in 7 for Eight or in Wheeldon's Cinderella as her father. He is also in Breiner's The Queen's. Daughter Additionally, he assisted Yuri Possokhov with the creation of Violin Concerto. I will always remember him as Albrecht in Giselle. I also had the great fortune to take a couple of drop-in classes where he was the teacher. Thank you Tiit!! Link to comment
pherank Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Yes, it is sad when the big day finally occurs. He will be greatly missed, being one one of the most dependable partners in SFB history. I wonder if he's having some physical issues that necessitated the early departure. Seems probable. Great to hear that Tiit will become a Principal Character Dancer, so more Drosselmeyers to come. ;) Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Helimets graduated from ballet school in 1996, so he's had an amazing run. Link to comment
pherank Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 1 hour ago, volcanohunter said: Helimets graduated from ballet school in 1996, so he's had an amazing run. Apparently Tiit is 45 years old(!), so it makes sense to move on. But I had a dream that he might be able to dance with his daughter once she joined the Corps at SFB. He should be teaching a master class in lifts/partnering at the school. Link to comment
Josette Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 He has been first-rate in everything and is much-loved. I would think that he would be Cinderella's Father in the coming season. I remember a beautiful performance of Cinderella where he was the Prince to Sarah Van Patten and then his richly-developed performance of the Father in February 2020. I am so relieved that we will continue to see him performing as a Principal Character Dancer. Link to comment
JMcN Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Tiit was very popular with the audience when he danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet prior to his move to SFB. Very best wishes to him for the future. Link to comment
Terez Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 Oh, bummer!! Was so glad to see he was featured in MADCAP and thought that meant he'd have a fruitful year. So sorry he's not staying the whole season. At least I'll (hopefully) get to see him perform next weekend. So glad he's staying on as a principal character dancer. Echoing the comment that it would be a delight to see him perform with his daughter. (I know I saw something last year - assuming it was Nutcracker, that they both danced in.) Yes, best wishes to him; glad he's not going far away. Link to comment
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