Velocity Hosts Fall Kick-Off and BIG BANG! Performance Party Tonight

Celebrate the kick-off to the vibrant Seattle Dance Season. The annual Fall Kick-Off is one of Velocity's most high-energy weekends of dance and performance. Each night Seattle's most gifted and charismatic artists come together to benefit Velocity and celebrate the talent and imagination of Seattle's dance scene. Each night is one-of-a-kind and not to be missed.

BIG BANG! Performance Party // TONIGHT, SEPT 26 / 7:30 - 11:30PM / The immersive performance party of the year! Bands Katie Kate, Iska Dhaaf, Thunderpussy, Wishbeard and a sound installation by Tomten's Lena Simon with Jeff Aaron Bryant join 30+ artists performing throughout Velocity - live music, new media, drinks from The Barre + more.

>> First 10 dressed in wildly TEXTURAL outfits get in free to celebrate this year's NEXT NW theme TOUCH. FEEL IT UP! and get tactile.

Seattle Dance Showcases // FRI + SAT + SUN / 8PM / Re-live the best performance moments of the last season and preview what's to come from Seattle's leading dance and performance makers.

SEATTLE DANCE SHOWCASES STARRING:

FRIDAY // 2013 The Stranger Genius Award Finalists Pat Graney / AmyO/tinyrage / zoe | juniper / PLUS Kate Wallich + The YC / Anna Connor/ Kaitlin McCarthy + Jenny Peterson / Alice Gosti / Hosted by Jody Kuehner (Cherdonna Sinatra)

SATURDAY // Spectrum Dance Theater / Elia Mrak / Seattle Dance Project / Coriolis Babette McGeady / Alana O Rogers / Ashani Dances / Hosted by Jason Ohlberg

SUNDAY // Ezra Dickinson / Heather Kravas / Dayna Hanson + Peggy Piacenza

The New Animals / Molly Sides / Etienne Cakpo / Corrie Befort / Hosted by Annie McGhee

All weekend, we'll celebrate Seattle Dance's domination of the 2013 The Stranger Genius Award Performance Category and toast the finalists - Velocity Alum Pat Graney, zoe | juniper and Amy O'Neal. At the Friday and Sunday showcases, Velocity's annual Dance Champion Awardsrecognize key individuals who support Seattle dance and inspire others to do the same.

THURSDAY BIG BANG! Performance Party // Katie Kate / Thunderpussy / Iska Dhaaf Wishbeard / Lena Simon with Jeff Aaron Bryant / Ezra Dickinson / Jeffrey Fracé
Kate Wallich + The YC with BLACKBIRD / Markeith Wiley / Syniva Whitney + Will Courtney / Amelia Reeber / Alice Gosti / Molly Sides /Shannon Stewart / PE|Mo Vanessa DeWolf / Jim Kent / Dylan Ward / Maile Martinez / Amy Johnson / Joseph Lambert / Coriolis Anna Connor / Juliet Pruzan / Eric Aguilar / Douglas Ridings / Calie Swedberg / Seth Sexton / Salami Bros. (Tyler P. Wardwell + Quinn Franzen) /Jul Kostelancik / Dani Long Wes Hurley + Sean McCormack + more

Curated by Executive/Artistic Director Tonya Lockyer and dance artist Molly Sides, Thursday's BIG BANG! has Velocity exploding at the seams with live bands, dancing, new media and visual spectacle - renowned choreographers along with emerging artists reconsider and respond to the Velocity space. Grab a drink and wander throughout Velocity in this unpredictable evening that is part social event and part participatory performance.

The BIG BANG! includes:

- The Stranger Music Genius Finalist Katie Kate performing live + cooking up her own performance installation

- Hit bands Iska Dhaaf, Thunderpussy, Wishbeard and sound installation by Lena Simon with Jeff Aaron Bryant

- To celebrate Referendum 74 80s-inspired kiss-ins with Jim Kent + Dylan Ward, GENDER TENDER'S Syniva Whitney + Will Courtey, Wes Hurley + Sean McCormack

- Seattle's Shannon Stewart leading a choreographed mosh pit

- A new film by Kate Wallich + The YC in collaboration with BLACKBIRD

- An intimate performance for three in the front of Juliet Pruzan's car

- Film by Wes Hurley + video installation by Maile Martinez

- Performances on Velocity's front steps, on the street, and MORE!

TICKETS for The Fall Kick-Off + BIG BANG - call 206.325.8773 or visit velocitydancecenter.org/box-office + at the door. THURS BIG BANG! $10 / FRI - SUN SHOWCASES $20 or $50.

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