ABSTRACT
The collapse of the San Francisco Civic Ballet drove Willam’s spirits to their lowest point in his career. The venture had come so close to succeeding that his pain at its failure was exquisite. The illustrious but short-lived SFCB had proven Willam’s dreams possible and at the same time confirmed his worst fears: that even with all the ingredients for a successful company in place, San Francisco was not yet willing to support ballet. If his dream could not materialize in San Francisco, where he had excellent social connections and had earned respect in the community, where did it have a chance? Admitting the venture’s defeat was tantamount to giving up his long-cherished desire for a large touring company. Willam may have appreciated the irony of the situation that fall when Deakin’s prediction about an impending vacancy in the dance field came true: Ballet Theatre cancelled its fall 1948 tour and announced a suspension of all activities until January, 1949. 1 As Deakin had foretold, the timing would, indeed, have been perfect for a San Francisco company to step into the open spot and take over the cancelled bookings, but such speculation was useless.
