Tamara Rojo's Bold Vision Reshapes San Francisco Ballet

Since becoming artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet in 2022, Tamara Rojo has commissioned boundary-pushing works like 'Mere Mortals,' a ballet about AI with choreography by Aszure Barton—the first woman to create a full-length work for the nearly 100-year-old company. Rojo, a former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, earned a PhD in psychology and transformed ENB into an international powerhouse through radical programming, including bringing ballet to Glastonbury Festival and commissioning Akram Khan's Kathak-infused 'Giselle.' At SFB, 'Mere Mortals' has generated millions in ticket sales, attracted first-time buyers, and inspired a $60 million anonymous donation—one of the largest ever to an American ballet company—earmarked for new works. Rojo also launched a two-year leadership program for dancers. Critics have questioned her leadership style; a 2018 Times article quoted unnamed ENB dancers alleging intimidation, though no formal grievances were substantiated. Rojo acknowledges challenges as a female leader in a male-dominated field: 70% of artistic directors at classical dance companies are men. She emphasizes risk-taking for institutional survival, stating that repeating old works cannibalizes audiences. 'Mere Mortals' will travel to Edinburgh International Festival and Sadler's Wells in summer 2026.