Best Upcoming Dance Performances In The Bay Area
Throughout most of the month of June, San Francisco will host the 35th anniversary of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, with performing troupes from all over the world offering an astonishing array of choices. Here are two that come highly recommended, as well as some additional summer offerings.
La Tania Baile Flamenco
Lam Research Theatre
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
700 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 978-2787
www.worldartswest.org
Dates: June 22-23, 2013
Flamenco dancer and choreographer La Tania is one of the Bay Area dance scene's leading lights, recently described by the San Francisco Chronicle as appearing to be "larger than life." La Tania has danced flamenco since she was raised as a child among Spanish gypsies, and has performed all over the world. Her performance at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts promises to be one of the highlights of the Ethnic Dance Festival. This event will feature performances by numerous other dance companies as well.
Dimensions Dance Theater
Lam Research Theatre
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
700 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 978-2787
www.worldartswest.org
Dates: June 29-30, 2013
Oakland's Dimensions Dance Theater creates performances that fuse traditional African dance forms with modern choreography. This company has won numerous awards during its 40-year history, under the care of much lauded artistic director and principal choreographer Deborah Vaughn. This event will feature performances by numerous other dance companies as well.
Post Ballet
Lam Research Theatre
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
700 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 978-2787
www.postballet.org
Dates: July 18-19, 2013
A new company, only four years old, under the direction of choreographer Robert Dekkers, the Post Ballet has been attracting a lot of positive attention for its sophisticated work. "Four Plays" will include a world premiere of a collaboration with composer and violinist Matthew Pierce, as well as revivals of some of the company's most successful pieces from the last four years. One of the pieces, "Sixes and Sevens," will be presented solo by a different company member at each performance.
ODC Dance Company Summer Sampler
ODC Theater
3153 17th St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9834
www.odcdance.org
Dates: August 2-3, 2013
The ever-popular ODC Dance Company will be presenting its annual Summer Sampler in early August. This sampler performance will include a variety of pieces from the company's repertoire. This exceptional company, founded 40 years ago by artistic director Brenda Way (who trained under the great George Balanchine), is known all over the world for its exceptional fusion of ballet and modern dance.
ODC Theater Presents BodyTraffic
ODC Theater
3153 17th St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9834
www.odcdance.org
Dates: Sept. 26-29, 2013
A mere six years old, Los Angeles' BodyTraffic has performed extensively in both northern and southern California and as far away as The Netherlands. It has been noted in Dance Magazine as one of "25 to watch in 2013." However, as new as it is, this small company has performed in venues as celebrated as the Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles (with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, no less). To see this talent in the intimate ODC Theater is an opportunity to be relished.
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Charles Kruger is well known in the Bay area as "The Storming Bohemian" ever since he entered the Bay Area cultural scene in the summer of 2009, attending 90 cultural events in 90 days and blogging about it. This project was successful enough to warrant a mention in The New York Times. His coverage of Bay area theatre can be found at Examiner.com.
