Postponed - 2020 arts medallion honoring Helgi Tomasson
The Board of the Museum of Performance + Design takes great pleasure in announcing that San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson will be presented with the 2020 San Francisco Arts Medallion for his outstanding leadership in the arts. The San Francisco Arts Medallion was created in 2005 by the Museum of Performance + Design (MP+D) to recognize those individuals whose leadership, actions, and generosity have benefited the cultural life of the San Francisco Bay Area. Proceeds from the event benefit the preservation and educational programs at MP+D.
Helgi Tomasson
Helgi Tomasson, one of the most venerated classical dancers of his generation, embarks on his 35th season with San Francisco Ballet in 2020. Born in Iceland, he danced with Harkness Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and New York City Ballet, where he distinguished himself as a dancer of technical purity, musicality, and intelligence. Tomasson assumed leadership of SF Ballet in 1985. Under his direction, SF Ballet has become a company widely recognized as one of the finest in the world. Tomasson has balanced devotion to the classics with an emphasis on new works, cultivating frequent collaborations and commissions with choreographers such as William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, Cathy Marston, and Mark Morris, among many others. He has choreographed more than 50 works for the Company, including full-length productions of Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet (taped for Lincoln Center at the Movies' Great American Dance), Giselle, and Nutcracker (taped for PBS's Great Performances). He conceptualized the 1995 UNited We Dance festival, in which SF Ballet hosted 12 international companies; the 2008 New Works Festival, which included 10 world premieres by 10 acclaimed choreographers; and the 2018 Unbound: A Festival of New Works. A loyal supporter of the Museum of Performance + Design (MP+D) through the years, Tomasson has also connected SF Ballet to the world, through co-commissions with American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, and Dutch National Ballet; and major tours to Paris, London, New York City, China, and his native Iceland.
"Helgi’s artistry and love for dance have been a tremendous gift to the city," said MP+D Board President Pattie Lawton, who Co-Chairs the event with Ken Fulk, founder of Saint Joseph's Arts Society. "We are honored and thrilled to present Helgi with the 2020 Arts Medallion. We are also grateful to welcome Jim and Cecilia Herbert as our Honorary Co-Chairs for this year’s event."
“Helgi Tomasson is a visionary leader whose artistic genius has transformed San Francisco Ballet into one of the world’s most accomplished performing arts organizations,” said Jim and Cecilia Herbert. “For 35 years, Helgi’s inspired work has delighted audiences and elevated the entire arts community in the Bay Area. This well-deserved recognition expresses heartfelt appreciation for Helgi’s many contributions.”
pAST Honorees
Stanlee Gatti (2005), Gordon Getty (2006), Diane B. Wilsey (2007), Mr. & Mrs. George F. Jewett, Jr. (2008), Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. (2009), Nancy Hellman Bechtle (2010), Delia F. Ehrlich (2011), Roselyne Chroman Swig (2012), John Goldman (2013), Frederica von Stade (2015), Robert Mailer Anderson & Nion McEvoy (2016), Carl & Yurie Pascarella (2017), Tony Taccone (2018) and Michael Tilson Thomas (2019).
HONORARY COMMITTEE
Jim and Cecilia Herbert, Honorary Co-Chairs
Jola & John Anderson
Robert Mailer Anderson & Nicola Miner
Richard C. Barker
Joachim & Nancy Hellman Bechtle
London N. Breed
Fang & Gary Bridge
Lisa Dolby Chadwick
Sunnie Evers
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Ken Fulk
Drs. Tricia and Richard Gibbs
Marcia & John Goldman
Thomas E. Horn
Margaret Jenkins
Gretchen B. Kimball
Alonzo King
Kelsey & David Lamond
Mark Leno
Betsy Linder
Denise Littlefield Sobel
Muriel Maffre
Glenn McCoy
Yurie & Carl Pascarella
Speaker Nancy Pelosi & Paul Pelosi
Kathleen Scutchfield
Wendy Storch
Roselyne C. Swig
Diane B. Wilsey