San Francisco Ballet removes Kennedy Center tour dates as uncertainty and controversy reshape Washington’s performing arts venue

Tour stop for “Mere Mortals” taken off company schedule

San Francisco Ballet has removed its planned Kennedy Center engagement from its touring schedule, pulling dates that had been announced for May 27–31, 2026 in Washington, D.C. The performances were slated to present “Mere Mortals,” a contemporary work choreographed by Aszure Barton with music by electronic composer Floating Points (Sam Shepherd), described by the company as a reimagining of the Pandora myth through the lens of artificial intelligence.

The change appears limited to the company’s published tour listings; the engagement has continued to appear on some event calendars and listings connected to the Washington venue and third-party performing-arts databases. The company’s removal of the stop follows weeks of heightened public scrutiny and broader disruptions around programming at the Kennedy Center.

Public pressure campaign targeted the engagement

A Change.org petition launched on Jan. 7, 2026 called on the company to cancel the Washington appearances. The petition accumulated thousands of verified signatures and framed the proposed engagement as a reputational issue amid an intensifying national debate about the Kennedy Center’s governance and cultural direction.

The petition was one of multiple public campaigns that emerged as performers and arts groups reassessed their plans at the venue. San Francisco Ballet had been positioned to bring an East Coast premiere of the production as part of its touring activity.

Kennedy Center governance and branding changes add uncertainty

The removal of the dates comes as the Kennedy Center has undergone major leadership and branding changes since 2025, including a board vote in December 2025 to adopt a new name incorporating former President Donald Trump alongside President John F. Kennedy. The change has generated legal and political disputes over authority and naming.

Operational uncertainty has also been amplified by a publicly discussed plan for a two-year closure for renovations beginning around July 4, 2026. While that timeline would begin after the May dates, the prospect of a long shutdown has raised questions across the performing-arts sector about scheduling, labor planning, and venue availability.

What the cancellation means for the ballet and audiences

San Francisco Ballet last toured to the Kennedy Center in 2018, and the May 2026 run had been promoted as a return engagement. “Mere Mortals” is also scheduled in San Francisco as part of the company’s 2025–26 season, running April 24 through May 3, 2026 at the War Memorial Opera House.

For audiences in Washington, the development leaves open questions about whether the performances will be replaced by other programming and how existing ticketing and event pages will be updated across platforms. For the company, it represents a notable adjustment to a national touring plan at a moment when major U.S. cultural institutions are facing intensified political, financial, and operational pressures.

• Removed tour stop: Washington, D.C., May 27–31, 2026
• Planned work: “Mere Mortals” (Barton / Floating Points)
• San Francisco run remains scheduled: April 24–May 3, 2026

San Francisco Ballet’s action signals a tangible shift in how touring organizations are managing venue risk amid governance disputes and uncertain operating timelines.