Leap Into Bay Area Dance Week This Spring

The 18th annual Bay Area Dance Week (BADW) brings the vibrant world of Bay Area dance to the public, offering more than 400 events, completely free, April 22 - May 1, 2016.

BADW has something for everyone, including workshops, performances, classes, open rehearsals and more. First time dancers can try their hand (and feet) at a variety of dance styles, art lovers can go behind-the-scenes and see how dances get made, or wannabe divas can unleash their inner pop star while learning music video routines. This 10-day festival reflects the unending generosity of the local dance community, and offers the public a chance to enjoy some of the region's artistic riches completely free of charge.

Presented during and as part of the nationwide festival National Dance Week, the Bay Area's edition has grown to be the nation's largest celebration. BADW draws more than 20,000 attendees each year to events in San Francisco, the East Bay, North Bay and South Bay.

This year's festival runs April 22-May 1, 2016, kicking off with everyone's favorite, One Dance, led by the Rhythm & Motion Dance Program at Union Square on Friday, April 22 at 12noon. This year's One Dance was created by dance lovers from the Bay Area and beyond. Participants posted videos of themselves toInstagram or Facebook rocking a brand new or iconic dance move. The online submissions were complied into an epic dance number that anyone can learn. The public can go online starting in mid-March to preview the steps at www.bayareadance.org, attend a live rehearsal, or just show up at Union Square and go for it.

The recipients of the 2016 Dancers Choice Award and the Della Davidson Prize will also be honored at the Union Square kick-off.

Dancers' Group awards the Dancers Choice Award to individuals and organizations that are finding effective and creative models that impact dance. This year's awards go to master Zimbabwean dancer, singer, instrumentalist and choreographer, Julia Tsitsi Chigamba, and dancer, choreographer and teacher, Annie Rosenthal Parr.

Juliagrew up in the rich cultural traditions of Shona music and dance. She came to the US in 1999 and two years later launched the Chinyakare Ensemble in Oakland - a family of musicians, dancers and teachers who are committed to preserving and sharing the traditional culture of Zimbabwe. In 2015, Julia founded the Kumusha Foundation to educate and train US artists in the cultural arts of Zimbabwe.

Annie is the founder and director of RoCo Dance in Marin County. After receiving her BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, she danced professionally in the Bay Area before founding RoCo Dance in 1993. RoCo programs over 250 classes weekly between its two locations, and employs nearly 50 local instructors. Annie's business and artistic pursuits continue to evolve through her desire to serve her community and to support dance as a relevant form, capable of enriching and altering many lives.

The Della Davidson Prize honors the life and work of Bay Area dance luminary Della Davidson, who passed away in 2012. An annual prize is awarded to a choreographer/dance-maker producing work in the spirit of Ms. Davidson. This year's recipient is Erin Mei-Ling Stuart. Erin is the artistic director of the dance theater company, EmSpace Dance, which she founded in 2000. She is a choreographer, director, dancer, actor, and erstwhile violist who has been performing and making work in the Bay Area since the mid-nineties.

With over 400 events to choose from, there is something for everyone at BADW. The public can pick up a free event guide or visit www.bayareadance.org to explore free events including dance classes, open rehearsals, performances and more.

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A few festival highlights include:

EVENTS FOR FIRST-TIMERS

Intro to Ballet -come have fun, learn ballet, and get a good workout while learning the basic elements of ballet broken down into simple exercises in a fun and supportive environment, hosted by Berkeley Ballet Theater; Friday, April 22; Sunday-Saturday, April 24-30 in Berkeley

Day of Dance for Every Body - short, beginner-friendly dance classes in several dance styles taught by size-positive instructors. Also features a short performance by emFATic DANCE, hosted by Big Moves; Sunday, Apr 24 in Berkeley

Beginning Salsa Dance - learn Salsa and Bachata while moving your body to passionate Latin music, hosted by City College San Francisco PE & Dance Department; Monday, April 25 in San Francisco

Introduction to American Tribal Style® Belly Dance - explore the basic elements of this group improvisational format, including posture, fast movements, and formations. No experience necessary, beginners welcome, hosted by FatChanceBellyDance; Monday, April 25, in San Francisco

FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS

Open Rehearsal for ALICE (in wonderland) - watch an in-house rehearsal for a behind-the-scenes look at a ballet before it hits the stage, hosted by Silicon Valley Ballet; Friday, April 22 in San Jose

PS Dance! Film Screening - a documentary that captures what happens when students have dance in their curriculum. Popcorn provided, hosted by Luna Dance Institute; Thursday, April 28 in Berkeley

Dance Day at the JCCSF - a day of fun featuring classes for kids and adults including giveaways, a raffle and a dedicated hydration station, hosted by Jewish Community Center of San Francisco; Saturday, April 30 in San Francisco

Family Art Day - a celebration of art and culture from the Latin American diaspora featuring music and dance performances, hands-on visual art activities, and free dance classes for youth, hosted by MACLA/ Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana; Saturday, April 30 in San Jose

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

Kizomba & Rhythm - learn basic movements from traditional dances from Angola and Cape Verde, hosted by The Brothers Kizomba; Tuesday, April 26 in Berkeley

Congo to New Orleans - this class will introduce participants to traditional Congolese and New Orleans Second Line with live drumming, hosted by Dimensions Dance Theater; Wednesday, April 27 in Oakland

Beginning African Haitian Dance - a Dunham Technique inspired warm up with across the floor progressions followed by an introduction of traditional dances of Haiti, hosted by City College San Francisco; Wednesday, April 27 in San Francisco

Introduction to International Folk Dance - move to music from all over the world, from Brazil to the Balkans, from Ireland to Israel, from Sweden to Japan, hosted by Saratoga International Folk Dancers; Thursday, April 28 in Saratoga

DANCE FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS

Bollywood Dance Fitness Class - Bombay Jam® routines incorporate basic, easy to follow moves full of Bollywood flair, and the toning segment focuses on sculpting long, lean muscles, hosted by Mona Khan Company; Sunday, April 24 & May1 in San Francisco; Wednesday-Friday, April 27-28 in San Jose

Hatha Flow Yoga - this class will relax both mind and body while cultivating a steadiness in the breath. Great for beginners as well as students at all levels, hosted by Satori Yoga Studio; Wednesday, April 27 in San Francisco

Authentic Movement for Women - participants explore and expand their innate capacities to see and be seen and to articulate and integrate their experiences, hosted by Body Tales & Authentic Movement; Wednesday, April 27 in Berkeley

Pilates Sessions - 20-minute private training session on classical Gratz equipment, hosted by The Pilates Center of San Francisco; Sunday, May 1 in San Francisco

LARGE-SCALE GATHERINGS

Move to the Now - a diverse performance by Bay Area artists in a non-traditional setting. Between the works get your own groove on to the sound of DJ Jaqueen, hosted by Amy Seiwert's Imagery; Tuesday, April 26 in San Francisco

Open Rehearsal for #SFPUBLICCANVAS - witness the rehearsal process of BANDALOOP's newest aerial work, hosted by BANDALOOP; Wednesday, April 27 in Oakland

HeART of Market - featuring performances by adult and pre-professional students from Alonzo King LINES Ballet and youngsters from Tenderloin Boys and Girls Club, De Marillac Academy and Presidio Middle School, hosted by Alonzo King LINES Dance Center; Saturday, April 30 in San Francisco

Tapestry: Weaving the Community of Dance - a dance concert featuring student groups and professional companies from the East Bay, hosted by Behold Dance Collective; Saturday, April 30 in Oakland

INSIDE THE DANCER'S STUDIO

Ways Not To Drown - open to artists and creatives of all disciplines. Experiment using writing, moving and vocalization to create new material to use in your own creative process, hosted by Deborah Slater Dance Theater; Saturday, April 23 in San Francisco

Success Begins Inside: Creating and Keeping a Winning Mindset - an online panel discussion with Lauren Jonas (Diablo Ballet) Robert Dekkers (Post:Ballet), Zippora Karz (New York City Ballet), hosted by Grier Cooper (Miami City Ballet); Monday, April 25, online

The Feedback Showing - watch new work by five choreographers in a supportive and fun environment, hosted by Joe Goode Performance Group; Saturday, April 30 in San Francisco

A Taste of Odissi Indian Classical Dance - participate in body conditioning exercises, learn basic technique and watch Guru Shradha dancers in a performance showcase, hosted by Guru Shradha; Sunday, May 1 in Palo Alto

THE WILD SIDE

Intro to K-pop - learn the fun and easy to follow choreography of Korean pop music like the horse dance in "Gang-nam Style" by Psy, hosted by Dance Company & School; Saturday, April 23 in San Francisco

14th Annual April Follies Queer Dancesport Classic - join the longest running and largest same-gender dance competition in North America, hosted by April Follies; Saturday, April 23 in Oakland

Jazz Funk with Jenny D - learn a routine that incorporates jazz, hip hop and other styles. For beginners and all levels, hosted by YWCA Berkeley/Oakland; Wednesday, April 27 in Berkeley

Dance Like Aaliyah - unleash your inner pop star learning the choreography to one of Aaliyah's most iconic routines, "Are You That Somebody." No experience required, hosted by Icon Dance Collective; Saturday, April 30 in San Francisco

Full details, including exact times and locations are available online at www.bayareadance.org.

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National Dance Week was founded in 1981 to increase awareness of dance and its contributions to our culture. The first Bay Area Dance Week (BADW) festival grew out of a public dialogue in 1998, when dance artists, administrators, and organizations came together to explore how best to spotlight Bay Area dance during National Dance Week. The festival that emerged took a national initiative and imbued it with the innovative and inclusive spirit of the Bay Area. As the largest per capita center for dance in the US, the Bay Area's festivities have been the most extensive and best attended celebrations in the country since BADW's inception. Each year, over 200 dance organizations and artists present events during Bay Area Dance Week, involving more than 2,500 artists and 22,000 attendees. Dancers' Group presents the annual event.

Dancers' Group promotes the visibility and viability of dance. Founded in 1982, we serve San Francisco Bay Area artists, the dance community and audiences through programs and services that are as collaborative and innovative as the creative process. As the primary dance service organization in the Bay Area, we support the second largest dance community in the nation by providing many programs and resources that help artists produce work, build audiences, and connect with their peers and community. For more, visit www.dancersgroup.org.

Pictured: Kicking off BADW with One Dance at Union Square. Photo by Kegan Marling.

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