Bay Area Dance Week (BADW), poised to highlight the richness of dance across the region, is set to run from April 25 to May 4, 2023, offering an impressive variety of international dance traditions and practices for free.
This event stands out in contrast to other festivals that often focus solely on San Francisco, encompassing dance activities across at least five of the Bay Area’s nine counties, and thus combating skepticism about regional representation.
The festivities kick off with the One Dance event at Union Square on April 25 at noon, expecting to attract a large crowd eager to participate in a choreographed dance scene reminiscent of cinematic flair.
Participants can learn the dance moves in advance through online instructional videos available at www.bopsidy.com or dancersgroup.org/badw. The anticipation for this event reflects how dance serves as a unifying form of expression that transcends boundaries.
In the South Bay, attention will turn to San José, where the 23rd Annual Spring Dance Festival will be hosted by sjDANCEco at Eastridge Center Mall.
Scheduled for April 26 and 27, this festival promises to be a vibrant gathering featuring over sixty organizations, including both professional dance companies and community troupes.
“Every year we have a lot of spectators who come up and ask how they can contact this company after seeing a performance,” said Maria Basile, sjDANCEco co-founder and artistic director.
She emphasizes the festival’s role in cultivating the next generation of dancers, encouraging them to explore varied dance styles and to discover what resonates with them.
The festival will run non-stop for five hours over the two days, providing an engaging mix of performances and free dance classes.
Starting at 1:30 p.m., professional dance sets will be presented every half-hour, allowing audiences to enjoy a variety of performances throughout the afternoon, making it an ideal opportunity for dance enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Honorary participants include diverse groups such as Los Lupeños de San José, Latizmo Hip Hop Productions Dance Company for All Abilities, CarOlé Flamenco’s Legacy Project, HH Lin Dance Company, and N’fungola Sibo African Dance and Drum from New Orleans.
sjDANCEco will also showcase several of its works on Sunday, featuring solos and Nhan Ho’s piece “Onus,” which was part of the company’s fall season.
The festival, which initially began as Dancin’ Downtown at the Circle of Palms Plaza in 2003, has grown significantly in its coverage of dance in the South Bay.
What started as a modest gathering of about 30 groups has successfully expanded over the years, moving venues to accommodate its growth.
Striving to maintain a focus on diversity, the festival has retained numerous performing groups that reflect its evolution, such as Palo Alto’s Zohar Dance Company and San José’s Silver Creek High School and Independence High School.
Basile reminisced about the festival’s journey and expressed admiration for participants such as Helen Vazquez, who began her dance career as an impressive salsa enthusiast in her teens.
She stated, “The diversity of the festival is so beautiful.
We need to see dance as a community. Dance changes you and refreshes you, brings people together and spreads joy.”
For more information on BADW and the Spring Dance Festival, visit www.bopsidy.com and www.sjdanceco.org.
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