San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s “Swan Lake.” Courtesy Erik Tomasson/SF Ballet.

San Francisco Ballet has launched a new incubator program for its dancer and ballet school students to develop their choreography abilities.

Called Creation House, the program is the brainchild of Artistic Director Tamara Rojo and Associate Artistic Director Kerry Nicholls. It has four “strands” to provide time and opportunity  to develop their creative potential with mentorship from the SF Ballet community. The program will also be available to visiting dancers and choreographers.

It’s the first of a new regimen of future development programs, which will include opportunities for dancers to participate in a two-year leadership training program, learn additional roles outside of their mainstage casting, and participate in wellness sessions with external health and wellbeing practitioners.

“In my first year as artistic director, a core priority has been to expand the resources we offer to our dancers,” Rojo said in a written statement. “Taking part in new work development and having access to the choreographic process is invaluable experience for dance artists, and by offering this opportunity to our company members, we will also help SF Ballet identify and invest in the innovative new voices that will further our art form.”

Creation House kicked off its offerings on July 13 with a session for SF Ballet dancers with Arielle Smith, a visiting choreographer from London who’s been commissioned to develop a reimagined “Carmen” for the company’s 2024 season.