San Francisco Ballet group of his students, he founded the Utah Civic Ballet (now known as Ballet West) in 1963; the company remained under Christensen's directorship until 1978. Under Balanchine's tutelage at American Ballet, Lew Christensen became the first American-born "danseur noble". The United States Army drafted Christensen to fight in World War II. After the war ended, he joined Balanchine's and Lincoln Kirstein's Ballet Society (soon to become New York City Ballet), eventually becoming ballet master; he served in the role from 1946 until 1950. In 1951, he joined his brother Willam as co-director of San Francisco Ballet. When Willam moved to
Soundwave Festival (San Francisco) the often invisible protocols that affect our daily lives. Soundwave events have occurred in galleries, museums, and unusual and iconic locations in and around San Francisco. They have included: Soundwave Festival (San Francisco) Soundwave Biennial Festival (formerly called the Soundwave Series) is a sound, art, and music festival that happens every two years for two months in San Francisco. Soundwave is produced by the 501(c)3 non-profit Mediate Art Group. The festival features diverse local and international multimedia artists working with sound including noise artists, sound artists, improvisers, experimental musicians, composers, avant-garde musicians, vocalists, electroacoustic musicians, classical musicians and rock musicians.