Animate Dance Festival
The inaugurate Animate Dance Festival took place on October 27, 2018 in sites around West Red Line Avenue, in Alameda Point. With over 150 performers on site, and almost 19 performances during the day, this was a truly awesome display of Bay Area Dance.
“The festival was wonderful. I appreciate your creating
such a lovely venue and allowing me to share my work.” — LIZZ ROMAN, Award winning choreographer
“You brought something to Alameda that the Bay Area really hasn’t seen before.” — AMANDA GEHRKE, Alameda Economic Development Department
Featured Artists:
11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, CHURCH PORCH
Roman and her company have been making dances in San Francisco's dance spaces, local theaters, and outdoor festivals since 1995. The work has been described by critics as “Eloquent”, “Breathtaking”, “Provocative”, and “Captivating.” “The dance is the sum of the journey we take through a site,” states Roman. "In the words of LeCorbusier, 'To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Function and objects.' I seek guidance from each building I collaborate with,” continues Roman. “I create a visual history of our physical journey through that space that becomes a dance."
12pm, 2pm, 4pm, SPACE ONE
little seismic dance company was founded by choreographer, Katie Faulkner, in 2006. Since then, little seismic has performed nationally as part of the SCUBA National Touring Network and in local venues such as the Cowell Theater at Ft. Mason, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, ODC, CounterPulse, and in Union Square/Yerba Buena Lane as part of We Don’t Belong Here, a commission by Dancers’ Group for their ONSITE series in 2011. little seismic has received numerous Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (Izzies) and nominations in categories ranging from performance to choreography as well as for scenic design and sound.
2.30pm, 4.30pm BENCHES
The Phenomenal Anomalies are a dance-theater company that was born out of a love for the awkward, mismatched, oxymoronic, and non-sequitur characterizations that overall unify humanity. Created by Becky Robinson-Leviton and Hannah Westbrook, the company pulls from a hodgepodge of techniques to create funny, acrobatic, risk-taking, vulnerable, and polished work. We are all imperfect, complicated, and hypocritical, even if we try not to be. These deeply human qualities are what unify us, and our ability to express these imperfections creatively with humor is what helps foster community, intimacy, and understanding. The Phenomenal Anomalies strive to create work that celebrates these qualities.
MEGAN LOWE DANCES, WITH SHIRA YAZIV
11.30am, 1pm, 3pm SCULPTURES
MEGAN LOWE is a performance artist, dancer, singer, choreographer, teacher, and administrator. She has performed with Flyaway Productions, Lizz Roman & Dancers, Scott Wells & Dancers, Nancy Karp + Dancers, Epiphany Productions, Dance Brigade, and more. Megan continues to create her own dances, as well as collaborative works with Sonsherée Giles. She teaches for Joe Goode Performance Group, Flyaway, Bandaloop, for contact improvisation gatherings, and for Theater, Dance, & Performance Studies (TDPS) at UC Berkeley. Megan is excited to be collaborating with the dynamic SHIRA YAZIV, whose background is in Capoeira, Circus Arts, and Dance. Shira is the co-founder and owner of Athletic Playground, a dynamic indoor play-space, inspiring physical play through a wide variety of movement classes.
3.15pm BENCHES (picnic tables)
Chelsea Boyd Brown and Molly Rose-Williams have been collaboratively creating work in the Bay Area for one year. Their work explores a wide range of physicality in site-specific performance locations, ranging from the beach, backyard dinner parties, and a disco night club in Tijuana.
2pm, 4pm STAGE
Str8jacket is a hip hop dance company based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year the team competed in America’s Got Talent Season 12. They also won 1st place at World of Dance LA 2017 and 1st place at World of Dance Bay Area 2017 and 2018. The team believes in serving people and supporting communities by promoting awareness through dance and performing arts. Str8jacket thrives on hard work, passion, and creativity.
12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm CHINESE POLE
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Aviva left in 2010 to study at the Quebec Circus School. She now lives in France where she performs with circus collective À Sens Unique as well as touring her own solo Chinese pole acts. In 2015, À Sens Unique completed its first evening length performance, "Léger démêlé". Their European tour is still going today, and the show has now been performed over 100 times in 7 countries. The second evening-length show, "Mule", was released in 2017 and has also been touring internationally since. Aviva and her sister are currently creating a duet that will be performed at Kinetic Arts Center and at 8x8x8 (The Uptown) in Oakland in January 2019.
2pm STAGE
Founded in 2000 by John Narvaez and Liz Rojas, Salsamania Dance Company is one of the world’s top mambo dance companies, performing “San Francisco Style” salsa (a fusion of New York and Puerto Rican styles). Our dancers are known for their flamboyant spirit, complicated footwork and patterns, and their ability to execute these to fast music.
2pm STAGE
Based between San Francisco and Buenos Aires, with a background in acting and fine art, Diego and Lisette have been dancing for more than 20 years. They have performed together in many events all over the Bay Area including ATUSA San Francisco Tango Festival and Championship, Standford University, and major tango venues. Musicality, elegance and connection is their main passion, creating their own unique style.
2pm STAGE
UC Berkeley's poppin' and lindy hoppin' swing dance performance team, Sproul Stompers will be teaching us some moves, and showing us some swinging’ moves.
11am SPACE ONE (Animate Alameda)
In Japanese, the word mazeru means “to mix,” daiko the word for drum. Maze Daiko is a world music ensemble that continues to evolve by mixing Japanese taiko with West African drums and marimba, and European violin, creating an innovative sound. Seiichi Tanka, the father of North American taiko, has described Maze as pioneers of the art form.
BATALA SAN FRANCISCO
Batalá San Francisco is a Brazilian percussion and dance ensemble. We play samba reggae, the popular musical genre of Salvador, Bahia. With five types of drums, we create a powerful, dynamic sound that captivates audiences. We take pride in being a truly diverse organization. We are a multi-generational, multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-lingual group of drummers from all walks of life—united by our love of drumming.
BAY AREA YOUTH GROUPS
BODY LANGUAGE
4pm SPACE ONE,
BodyLanguage is RoCo’s Select Modern Dance Company Directed by Annie Rosenthal Parr. They are a performing group of high school dancers that embody exceptional skills, potential and enthusiasm for dance. The company has had the opportunity to collaborate with prominent Bay Area choreographers and present work in performances including the WorldWideWomen Festival, Bay Area High School Dance Festival, Homestead Valley Music Festival, Dance Hack Day, Cali & CO Dance, and sjDANCEco ChoreoProject—for which it has received two Audience Choice Awards.
SAYE
4pm STAGE
The Shawl-Anderson Youth Ensemble (SAYE) is a pre-professional modern dance training program for high school students selected by audition. The ensemble dancers take weekly modern and ballet classes, rehearse with guest choreographers, and perform at various festivals and events throughout the year. SAYE will be performing a new piece by Rogelio Lopez for the Animate Dance Festival. His work is very physical with lots of exciting partnering, intricate spatial patterns, and gorgeous movement.
Guest Teaching Artists:
11.45am - 12.15pm STAGE
Afro Hits Jam class takes you on the streets and dance communities of Africa and the African diaspora. From Congolese urban and social Soukouss, Coupé Décalé and Ndombbbolo dances to the diasporic afrobeats; the class is intended to be a sweet and sweat jam for the body. This class alternates low and high intensities to revamp a positive attitude, to get you going lightly with your busy life. Bibene is a dance educator, choreographer and performer working in theater, ethnic and contemporary dance. His own technical and aesthetic sensibility is rooted in the cultures of his country of origin, the Republic of Congo. Bibene owns a BS, Economics and a MFA in Dance from Saint Mary's College of California.
3 pm - 3.30 pm SPACE ONE
Capoeira is a dynamic Afro-Brazilian art form & self-defense; with strong aerobic & dance elements. It is a harmony of forces that gives you power, flexibility, endurance & self-discovery. Capoeira balances the body, soul & mind. It is a graceful, exciting art form that teaches you to be alert. Professor Sumido (Sam Batchelder) began training Capoeira in 1999. He has been teaching Capoeira on the Island of Alameda since 2004 and taught at Rhythmix since the space opened in 2007.
12.30pm - 12.50pm STAGE
Loud music, deep bass, and hip-hop beats to make you sweat. Easy to follow dance patterns and total body conditioning. All levels welcome. Alameda's famous BLADIUM Sports and Fitness Club offers a wide range of fitness and sports programs. Join instructor Nicole for a fun and funky work out.
11.45am -12.15pm PAVILLION
Founded in 2000 by John Narvaez and Liz Rojas, Salsamania Dance Company is one of the world’s top mambo dance companies, performing “San Francisco Style” salsa (a fusion of New York and Puerto Rican styles). Our dancers are known for their flamboyant spirit, complicated footwork and patterns, and their ability to execute these to fast music.
1.30pm - 2pm STAGE
Based between San Francisco and Buenos Aires, with a background in acting and fine art, Diego and Lisette have been dancing for more than 20 years.They have performed together in many events all over the Bay Area including ATUSA San Francisco Tango Festival and Championship, Stanford University, and major tango venues. Musicality, elegance and connection is their main passion, creating their own unique style.
1pm - 1.30pm SPACE ONE
UC Berkeley's poppin' and lindy hoppin' swing dance performance team, Sproul Stompers will be teaching us some moves, and showing us some swinging’ moves.
13.30pm - 2pm STAGE
Learn basic belly dance movements including hip, chest, head and arms in this fun brief introductory class. You'll be shimmying in no time! Niusha teaches mixed level belly dance classes and is the director of Hip Logic, a troupe who performs both traditional and fusion styles of belly dance at fairs and festivals all over California. Niusha fell in love with belly dance as an adult after growing up dancing ballet, tap and jazz here in Alameda. She performs as a soloist, with her own troupe and often in other belly dance troupes as well for specialty performances. Niusha believes that there is something for everyone in belly dance no matter your age or ability and loves to share it with others.
HULA HOOPING by EVE & LOGAN
1.30pm - 2pm (class) 2pm - 2.30pm SCULPTURES
Thought you couldn't hula hoop? Try us and our extra large hoops! We will spend 20 to 30 minutes getting you started with basic moves ,followed by a hoop jam with music to play and explore dancing with your hula hoop! There will be a fair amount of hoops available to try!
