Epiphany Dance Theater Announces The 20th Anniversary Edition Of San Francisco Trolley Dances

Epiphany Dance Theater has announced the program for the 20th anniversary edition of San Francisco Trolley Dances (SFTD), October 21 - 22. Under the direction of Artistic Director Kim Epifano, this year's route travels from Downtown San Francisco to the Exploratorium to Fisherman's Wharf along the city's historic F-Line. As always, admission to SFTD remains free with RSVP. Reservations will become available at epiphanydance.org/san-francisco-trolley-dances starting in early September.

 

Participating artists include Blind Tiger Society, Jean Isaacs, Jennifer Perfilio Movement Works, Kinetech Arts, Loco Bloco and Nava Dance Theatre, in addition to Epiphany Dance Theater. A total of 10 tours are scheduled over the weekend starting at One Bush Plaza at 10 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m. Each tour runs approximately two and a half hours.

 

“This year, we return to the F-Line, the Muni line we explored in our inaugural year,” said Epifano. “We're taking stock of the more than 100 individual acts of public art which we've curated from the Bayview to the Haight; from the Upper Mission to the City College of San Francisco, Ocean campus; from Mission Bay to the Castro; from South of Market to Chinatown to Golden Gate Park – and many points in between. SFTD is proud to participate in the revitalization of San Francisco's neighborhoods.”

 

Each year Epiphany Dance Theater matches Bay Area-based artists and ensembles with specific sites, inviting them to create an 8- to 12-minute piece in response to the natural environment, architecture and history of the area.

 

The first stop on this year's tour is One Bush Plaza with a performance by Nava Dance Theatre. Under the direction of Nadhi Thekkek, Nava Dance Theatre specializes in Bharatanatyam, a dance form from South India, which they use as a medium to explore themes universal and contemporary.

 

Next is a stop at Battery Bridge with a performance by Blind Tiger Society. Managed by the Downtown SF Partnership and located on Battery Street between Bush and Market, Battery Bridge is Downtown San Francisco's newest pedestrian plaza. It features a 1,900 square foot street mural titled Estero en Movimiento featuring imagery of Drake's Bay located just to the north of the city. With a reputation for provocative, punk, playful and rebellious performances, Blind Tiger is a contemporary dance company under the direction of Bianca Cabrera.

 

From Battery Bridge, the tour moves to the Hyatt Regency San Francisco for a performance choreographed by Jean Isaacs with live music by Steve Baker. Isaacs is the former artistic director of San Diego Dance Theater and the originator of San Diego Trolley Dances.

 

After the Hyatt, the tour moves to Pier 15 for two performances at the Exploratorium, San Francisco's museum of science, art and human perception. The two companies assigned to this location are Kinetech Arts and Jennifer Perfilio Movement Works. Kinetech Arts works at the intersection of dance, science and technology to create innovative and socially responsible performances. Under the direction of Daiane Lopes da Silva and Weidong Yang, Kinetech will set up shop at the Kanbar Forum inside the museum. The tour will then continue in the Osher Gallery 1 and outdoor plaza with work by Jennifer Perfilio, an artist committed to site-specific dance with a democratic impulse.

 

The final stop on the tour is Fisherman's Wharf. There audiences will take in performances of Loco Bloco at The Crab Wheel Plaza, and Kim Epifano's Epiphany Dance Theater at the Fisherman's & Seaman's Memorial Chapel. Loco Bloco is a San Francisco-based organization focused on the development of children and youth through live music, dance, drumming and theater arts.

 

Located across from Pier 45 overlooking the fishing boat basin, the Fisherman's & Seaman's Chapel stands as a memorial to those folks “who have braved cold waves, blinding fog and howling winds” to bring in the day's catch. The structure was completed in 1981 on the former site of an old Coast Guard building. Epiphany Dance Theater will be joined by Jonah's Lift, a chorus led by Daryl Henline, one of the originators of the Conspiracy of Beards.

 

In addition to taking public transit, attendees have the option to walk or bike to the performance sites on their own. Route maps will be available on site and online at epiphanydance.org/san-francisco-trolley-dances. The first tour of each day is designated for those with accessibility needs. As in the past, on demand video of this year's tour will be available to the public in November.

 

San Francisco Trolley Dances (SFTD) is produced by Epiphany Dance Theater, founded by Kim Epifano in 1997. An annual event now in its 20th year, SFTD is presented free to the public over one weekend every October. Epifano curates the large-scale, site-specific event, working to sustain a public-private partnership that involves the San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority (SFMTA), multiple professional Bay Area artists and ensembles, and the neighborhoods and community sites where the route is placed each year. In addition to the SFMTA, this year's partners include the Downtown SF Partnership, the Exploratorium and the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District.

 

SFTD aims to introduce audiences to new neighborhoods and new dance companies that reflect an array of sensibilities, cultures and styles, and the event functions as a creative lab for groups of six to seven choreographers each year. The unpredictable sounds and sights of San Francisco intermingle with the spontaneity of public response to ensure a dynamic, meaningful experience for audiences and performers.

 

“Kids on Track” is the educational programming arm of SFTD that has served Bay Area students, elementary school to college, through in-school lecture demonstrations and workshops led by teaching artists. On October 20, Kids on Track students and their teachers are invited to experience SFTD performances on reserved tours culminating in a conversation with the featured artists.

 

For more information, visit epiphanydance.org/san-francisco-trolley-dances.

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