Smuin Brings Grit and Glamour to Ballet

Creative for the Smuin Ballet Company is all over BART right now, and every time we come across one of the pieces we can't help but stop and stare for awhile.

One of the biggest problems with ballet is it's traditionally classified as a "high culture" pursuit, which gives the dance some cachet, but also shuts potentially innovative new young audiences out.

Hoping to level this barrier, agency Evolution Bureau positioned Smuin as a ballet group that dances on the razor's edge. Each piece has its own tagline, beginning with "Ballet but...", and the ballerinas are double-exposed over some human element of pop culture manifested in their dancing.

"Ballet But Sexy," for example, features a traditional ballerina with coy, slightly sultry features, sharing spiritual space with a naughty minx in pumps and lingerie. The imagery suggests the gap between both girls -- and between ballet and sex appeal -- is a lot slimmer than we think.

Also see (use your keyboard arrows to see the full ad):

o Ballet but Entertaining
o Ballet but Bold
o Ballet but Broadway
o Ballet but Different
o Ballet but Spicy

Smuin will be holding performances in the Bay Area until June 6. Try to catch at least one; we would if we could.