Keeping On Keeping On

This speech was delivered on June 3, 2009 at the Opening Plenary of Dance/USA’s annual conference in Houston, Texas, the theme of which was “Sustainable Future: Reality Check.” Originally a […]

The Crisis in Criticism: The Economy, the Internet and the Death of Dance Writing, Jun 2009

If you are reading this, odds are you earn at least part of your living working in the arts, or are a committed member of the dance audience. Let me […]

Major celebrations and successes meet the usual challenges of presenting new work

This past year was a time of big birthdays, initiatives, celebrations, and rebuilding in Bay Area dance. Outshining all in historical import, ambition, publicity, and yes, hype—some perpetuated by this […]

A Place to Explore: Mama Calizo

With its bright pink awning and front-door mosaic of CDs that sparkle like giant sequins, Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory (MCVF) is a bright spot in the South of Market district […]

Revealing the Process

When someone joins the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Committee (The Izzies), they’re usually pleasantly surprised. Instead of a mysterious, shadowy group they will find a group of individuals like themselves—passionate […]

The Bay Area’s Summer Performances: Theatrical adventures for any taste

If you want to experience the real Bay Area dance scene in all its breadth, depth, variety, and just-get-up-and-move wildness, you may have to come in the summer. True, September […]

History in the Taping: Confessions of an Accidental Dance Videographer

As I was preparing to write this article about dance documentation, it occurred to me that it has been exactly ten years since Shelley Trott and I started the interviews […]

Deep Roots, Many Branches: Black Choreographers Festival, Jan/ Feb 2008

It is 1992 and Katherine Dunham, the renowned dance artist and anthropologist has begun a hunger strike. The woman whose performing career is synonymous with theatricalizing African dance for the […]

What do you Think About Dance Criticism? A Community Responds

We recently sent out a call out to nearly 30 Bay Area dance artists representing a broad cross-section of the community asking them to contribute perspectives on dance criticism. Twelve […]

Hip Hop Her Way; An Interview with Sisterz of the Underground’s Sarah Smalls

Sisterz of the Underground (SOTU) is a community, network, and support system created by, and for, females who choose hip-hop as a form of expression. As an open hip-hop collective, […]