Black Choreographers' Festival: Here and Now

4 November 2009 — SAN FRANCISCO, CA:  It is a legacy of triumphs and tragedies; of pioneers and pain. It is the legacy of the Black Choreographers Festival (www.bcfhereandnow.com). Now, in its sixth year, it is honoring the legacy and celebrating the next generation of the African American dance Diaspora. Hailed as “a fascinating festival with momentum on its side” (San Francisco Chronicle), the 2010 edition of BCF will span the Bay during February exploding with the many and varied forms of expression and many spheres of influence which comprise Black dance with artists from Oakland, San Francisco, New York  and Los Angeles.

From February 12 – 14 the Festival kicks off with a Dance Conference offering a weekend of master classes, choreography workshops, symposia and a Youth Summit for pre-professional youth at Oakland’s Malonga Casquelourd Center (1428 Alice Street) then for two weekends (February 19 – 28) brings traditional dance, ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop to San Francisco’s Dance Mission Theater (3316 24th Street). “There is a community spirit here, in the finest sense of the word” (Voice of Dance) and “chance to find standout choreographers whose work should be seen far more often” (San Francisco Chronicle). The annual Black Choreographers Festival is a co-production of the African and African-American Performing Arts Coalition and K*Star*Productions. San Francisco performances are co-sponsored by Dance Mission Theater.

“This is a year to remember and renew,” said BCF co-producer Laura Elaine Ellis. “As the election of Barack Obama showed all of us, ‘yes we can.’ Like the political journey of the African American community, the journey of Black dance is one whose legacy is full of un-sung and un-danced heroes and heroines. In 2010, we’ve put together a program which pays tribute to our roots and plants the seeds for future generations of choreographic artists.”

“The annual BCF is the most diverse dance event of its type in Northern California,” said BCF co-producer Kendra Kimbrough Barnes. “This diversity is not just one of theme or community, but of talent. Whether the choreographers and dancers who take part are new to the form or part of a long lineage, our artists bring something fresh to every year’s Festival.”

BCF concert series in SF made possible in part by generous support from the San Francisco Arts Commission and The San Francisco Foundation.

Non-profit Art Organizations AAAPAC and K*Star*Productions have joined forces to present a comprehensive Festival celebrating the diverse artistic expression within the context of African and African American dance and culture. The festival strives to offer multi-faceted programming that addresses the needs of artists: networking, mentoring, training, outreach, and the community: affordable/accessible programming, cultural enrichment and arts education.

Events and performances of the 2010 Black Choreographers Festival are February 12, 13 and 14 at Oakland’s Malonga Casquelourd (1428 Alice Street);  February 19 ,20 & 21 and 26, 27 & 28  at San Francisco’s Dance Mission Theater (3316 24th Street). Friday and Saturday performances are at 8pm; Sundays at 7pm; Family Matinee, Sunday, February 14 at 4pm. Post-performance curtain talks take place after Sunday evening show on February 21 and Friday evening show on February 26. Tickets are $15 general advance, $20 at door; $10 children 12-and-under and $5 tickets to Family Matinee. Tickets may be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com or by phone for the following locations: Oakland’s Malonga Casquelourd Center (888) 819-9106 / San Francisco’s Dance Mission Box Office.: (415) 273-4633. For more information go online to www.bcfhereandnow.com

About the Black Choreographers Festival (BCF):

The Black Choreographers Festival serves the community by providing a forum to increase the visibility of African American dance.   BCF celebrates the ingenuity and uniqueness of African and African American choreographers by highlighting the importance of the African and African American experience in dance. BCF integral to the Bay Area arts community as it presents local and national artists in a series of contemporary and traditional concerts, showcases, mentoring, educational programs, community partnerships, symposia and archival documentation. BCF endeavors to foster a new generation of audiences and supporters to ensure the longevity of both established and emerging artists. For more information visit www.bcfhereandnow.com

About The African & African American Performing Arts Coalition (AAAPAC):

A San Francisco based non-profit organization, AAAPAC was founded in 1995 by a collective of artists who were looking to create better performance opportunities for African and African American performing artists as well as produce shows that reflect the aesthetic and cultural representation of the African and African American experience.  As AAAPAC’s executive director, Laura Elaine Ellis has co-produced successful events such as the Labor of Love Dance Series, The Quilt Project: Pieces of Me, and the Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now. Funding Awards for past projects

include: San Francisco Grants for the Arts, CA$H, The Creative Work Fund, The Irvine Foundation, SF Arts Commission, Zellerbach Family Fund, The Walter and Elise Haas Fund and the LEF Foundation.

About K*Star*Productions (K*S*P):

Kendra Kimbrough Barnes founded K*S*P in 1996. The mission of K*S*P is to make cultural exchange experiences accessible to the community at large with a focus on African-American constituents. K*S*P attains this goal by forming alliances, traveling, producing concerts & master classes, hosting public symposiums, and providing professional development services. K*S*P has produced 12 seasons of the Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble and has received funding awards from the Zellerbach Family Fund, Oakland Cultural Arts, the Irvine Foundation, the Alameda Arts Commission, and the East Bay Community Foundation.