Peninsula International Dance Festival Will Return in July

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural world dance and music festival, the Peninsula International Dance Festival 2023 has announced plans to return with an all-new, two-day festival July 15 and 16, with guest artists from 21 Bay Area companies featuring over 200 dancers and musicians - resplendent in colorful costumes - performing traditional works from Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Congo, Greece, Hawaii, India, Mexico, Native America, Peru, Philippines, Spain, and the USA. An extraordinary feast for the eyes and ears, both performances will be presented at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 North Delaware Street, San Mateo.

This year’s Peninsula International Dance Festival proudly welcomes to the stage many of the Bay Area’s award-winning ethnic dance and music interpreters led by distinguished master teachers and choreographers in an exuberant showcase of sacred, secular, traditional and community work. The 2023 Festival artist roster features Amor do Samba (Brazil); Antara Asthaayi Dance (India); Azteca Dancers/Calpulli Tonalehqueh (Mexico); Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno (Mexico); Bolivia Corazón de América (Bolivia); Charya Burt Cambodian Dance (Cambodia); Chitresh Das Institute/Youth Company (India); Eddie Madril/Sewam (Native American Indian); Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco (Mexico); Feng Ye Dance (China); Fua Dia Congo (Congo/Central African); Gurus of Dance (India); Hālau o Keikiali’i/Kaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center (Hawaiian); Jaranón y Bochinche Dance Performance Company (Afro-Peruvian); Jubilee American Dance Theatre (USA); Melissa Cruz Flamenco (Spain); Minoan Dancers (Crete/Greece); Parangal Dance Company (Philippines); Peninsula Ballet Theatre (USA); Peru Expressions (Peru); and Theatre Flamenco (Spain). The Festival will begin with a ceremonial stage blessing by the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone (Native American).

Produced by Christine Leslie, Executive Director of Peninsula Ballet Theatre (PBT), the Bay Area’s second oldest ballet and dance company, the Peninsula International Dance Festival 2023 participants have been thoughtfully selected and invited by PBT’s Artistic Director Gregory Amato working closely with Zenón Barrón, revered dance ethnologist and artistic director of Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco; Carlos Carvajal, former Co-Artistic Director of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and Peninsula Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Emeritus; and Charlotte Moraga, artistic director of the esteemed Chitresh Das Institute/Chitresh Das Youth Company.

Christine Leslie commented, “Last year we launched the Peninsula International Dance Festival and it was enthusiastically embraced by the Bay Area. It’s an exciting new initiative and part of our expanded mission to connect with more community residents on the greater Peninsula. Six years ago, we began exploring the addition of hip-hop to our classical ballet offerings and it has been a huge success, attracting a new audience to our theater. Presenting an international dance festival is an extension of the many diverse dance classes that are offered weekly in our five studios at the Peninsula Ballet Theatre center. This is also our way of connecting with and proudly showcasing the extraordinary world dance and music talent in the Bay Area. We’re enthusiastic about the future and look forward to sharing this latest iteration of the festival with the public. No passports needed; no TSA security lines to go through: travel the world with the Peninsula International Dance Festival.”

Carlos Carvajal said, “This newly imagined world dance and music festival is truly a Bay Areas cultural jewel which expresses in dance and song exactly what our society is desiring so intensely at this time – equity, diversity and inclusion. We’re delighted to present this season’s dance companies in a stage production that captures the joy and passion of the common language of dance and music.”

Tickets for the Peninsula International Dance Festival 2023 are priced at $60, $45 and $35. Discounts for seniors (65 and up) and juniors (18 and below) are $5-off per ticket; Group Sales of 10 or more enjoy a 10% discount. Purchase tickets today at www.pidfca.org. Two performances are scheduled: Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 16 at 3 p.m., San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 North Delaware St. This venue features ample free public parking.

Festival producer Peninsula Ballet Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support of the San Mateo County Arts Commission, NetSuite, Concar Enterprises, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

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