Jacey Gailliard made her lead debut at the San Francisco Ballet this past “Nutcracker” season, performing the roles of the Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy. As a 21-year-old member of the corps de ballet — the ballet company’s ensemble who perform supporting roles — these iconic roles are an immense undertaking.
Gailliard manages to do it all with eloquence, grace and the grit of a dancer who values her craft and knows its worth. The Daily Californian sat down with Gailliard to discuss her ballet career, her “Nutcracker” debut and what comes next. Gailliard, originally from Philadelphia, has trained with the San Francisco Ballet School since 2019, becoming an apprentice in 2023 and a corps member in 2024.
When discussing the transition from student to professional and taking on larger roles, Gailliard says,“(I had to) learn how to reflect 100% of myself genuinely (on stage). I’m still learning how to navigate that (as I get) more time featured on stage. It definitely gave me a different perspective about how I want to reflect my artistry onto the stage compared to corps work.”
When asked about the idea of reflecting personal artistry in a dance form often hailed as traditional, Gailliard said, “We’re progressing in the outside world, and I just want to reflect that in my work as well. It’s not just art, it’s also our job. I’ve gotten really lucky at being able to wear my brown tights and my brown shoes. That’s a direct reflection of myself as a brown dancer.”
As a dancer of color in a historically white space, Gaillaird is working towards a more inclusive space within the industry.
“I’ve had some struggles navigating myself as a Black woman in the (ballet) space. It is an uphill battle for me to get the same recognition and I feel that I have to work twice as hard to get half as much,” Gaillaird said.
“But (San Francisco Ballet) has been really receptive to letting them know how we can grow and make the company a more acceptable place, not just for me, but for all minorities and all sexualities,” she continued.
Authenticity is a key part of Gailliard’s understanding of her own artistry and drives her interpretation and performance of both her pivotal “Nutcracker” roles.
“I felt that the most important thing for me in this role was to project generosity and be a ‘host’ of the “Nutcracker” for everyone watching. I was not as worried about the technical and dancing aspect as I was about projecting my artistry towards the audience. It was just really important for me to showcase(myself) as the Sugar Plum fairy, because that really is the only difference between me and the next (performer).”
Gailliard’s artistry isn’t just rooted in her own identity — it reflects her relationship with her dance company and the community in San Francisco.
“The community here is small enough where it can really support our art form, compared to the East, where there’s more large companies in a smaller amount of space. Yes, we got to go on tour, but I don’t feel a sort of camaraderie from the audience the same way that I do here.”
This season on the War Memorial Opera House stage, Galliard will feature in a production of “Balanchine,” She touts this season as a “new wave of dance.”
“We’re bringing in new, more modern choreographers, modern music, modern costumes and I feel that it’s a great reflection of society, young people and artistic people in general. If you don’t come to the ballet, you’re really missing a part of the culture.”
Gailliard is poised to usher in this “new wave” of ballet as artistically and authentically herself.
“This season is athletic and musical. I’m excited to showcase that part of myself to our audience.”