BEYOND THE HEADLINES
June 5, 2011
Ethnic Dance Festival
Hosted by ABC7's Cheryl Jennings
Today, we're talking about celebrating world cultures through dance and music.
The Bay Area is home to one of the most diverse communities in the world. A great example of our wide-ranging diversity is at the annual San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival.
The SF Ethnic Dance Festival boasts five weekends of incredible performances this year at new locations. Building on its past success as the most extensive and highly regarded festival of its kind, and responding to both dance community and public demand, the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival is excited to offer new performances, events and venues for the 33rd season, scheduled in San Francisco and, for the first time, in Berkeley from June 3-July 3, 2011.
The 2011 Festival features a record 50 Northern California dance companies representing cultures from around the world, including 12 debuts, 15 world premieres, new venues in San Francisco and Berkeley, new participatory events, special events celebrating the return of the native Ohlone peoples to San Francisco, a June 25 festival benefit evening and more.
New this year will be Participatory Events at YBCA's Gardens and Forum, designed to bring the public into the action for the first time in the Festival's 33-year history. At each of the four Forum performances, companies representing different world dance and music traditions will give a short performance, followed by an invitation for audiences to join them on the dance floor for a "feet-on" experience.
Fridays to Sundays, June 3 to July 3
City Hall, San Francisco
Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
(415) 474-3914
www.sfethnicdancefestival.org
Studio Guests
Julie Mushet
Executive Director, World Arts West
Producer, SF Ethnic Dance Festival
www.worldartswest.org
Rasika Kumar
Principal Dancer/Choreographer, Abhinaya Dance Company
www.abhinaya.org
Aaron Sencil
Artistic Director, Hui Tama Nui
www.huitamanui.org
Email: huitamanui@gmail.com
Eric Solano
Artistic Director, Parangal
www.parangaldance.org
Additional Resources
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