Michael Smuin, former Utah ballet dancer and choreographer for Broadway, film and television, died Monday in San Francisco of an apparent heart attack at the age of 68.
Smuin collapsed during a rehearsal at the City Ballet Studios where his company, the Smuin Ballet, rehearses. He was treated by paramedics and taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Smuin was born in Missoula, Mont., on Oct. 13, 1938. As a child in the 1940s, he saw the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo on tour and that changed his life. He took classes in ballet, tap, gymnastics and even boxing to get a feel for movement. When he was 16, he took a trip to Utah to audition for a scholarship at the University of Utah dance department, which at the time was directed by Willam F. Christensen, who founded the Utah Civic Ballet, which later became Ballet West.
During his time at the U, Smuin was involved in many ballet productions including "The King and I." Carol Iwasaki, U. Department of Ballet chairwoman, was 9 years old when she was cast as one of the many children in the production.
"I remember Michael because he was so nice to the kids," she said. "He really took us all under his arm and taught us a lot. He was good to us and he was a great performer. And he was so good looking."
In 1957, Christensen's brother Lew, artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet, invited Smuin to join the company. Smuin served as principal dancer. He also started his career in choreography in San Francisco.
During his time with SFB, Smuin served as ballet master and special assistant to the artistic director. Smuin married Paula Tracy, a dancer he met while on tour with the company. The couple, who divorced in 2000, have one son, Shane.
In 1962, Smuin left San Francisco for New York City, where he worked as a chorus dancer on Broadway and later joined American Ballet Theatre, where he became principal dancer.
Eleven years later, he returned to San Francisco Ballet as its associate artistic director. Smuin's return to SFB was addled with controversy as many patrons called for more classical repertoire. He was fired, but later became a principal guest choreographer for the ballet.
Smuin won Emmy Awards for his television productions of balletsincluding "Romeo and Juliet," "The Tempest" and "A Song for Dead Warriors." He received a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his work in "Anything Goes" in 1987.
His motion picture credits include "The Cotton Club," "The Return of the Jedi — Special Edition," "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace," "Rumble Fish," "The Joy Luck Club," " Bram Stoker's Dracula" and "A Walk in the Clouds."
Smuin suffered a major heart attack in 1992. During his recovery, he was asked to participate in a fund-raiser in San Francisco, which led to his organizing the Smuin Ballet in 1994.
Smuin is survived by his son, Shane, and brothers Stephen and Douglas.