ODC/Dance & Mechanics' Present: Summer Sampler

"This is such a crucial time in the arts to think differently and to approach work in subversive ways.” - Gypsy Snider

Join us for a docent-led talk spotlighting the upcoming Summer Sampler performances by ODC/Dance Company (July 30 - August 2, 2026). This engaging presentation offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the company’s most anticipated programs, showcasing a dynamic range of repertory that reflects ODC’s signature blend of athleticism, innovation, and collaborative spirit.

Savor the richness of summer with a taste of ODC/Dance. Catch the celebrated return of ODC Fellow KT Nelson’s “surreal and compassionate” Nothing's Gonna Make Sense (Reflections on Grief), and Co-Artistic Director Mia J. Chong’s world premiere in collaboration with EIGHT/MOVES.

In this talk, the docent will explore the themes, choreographic approaches, and artistic partnerships behind the upcoming program, offering context that will deepen your experience of the performances. Learn how ODC continues to evolve while remaining rooted in the vibrant creative landscape of San Francisco, and discover what makes this summer’s program a must-see event.

Attend this event and get a discounted ticket price for one of the Summer Sampler performances here in Downtown San Francisco!

About

Founded in 1971 by Artistic Director Brenda Way who trained under the legendary George Balanchine, ODC (Oberlin Dance Collective—named after Oberlin College in Ohio where Way was on faculty) loaded up a yellow school bus and relocated to San Francisco in 1976. Her goal was to ground the company in a dynamic pluralistic urban setting. ODC was one of the first American companies to return, after a decade of pedestrian exploration, to virtuosic technique in contemporary dance and to commit major resources to interdisciplinary collaboration and musical commissions for the repertory.

ODC/Dance Company of ten world-class dancers performs its imaginative repertory for more than 50,000 people annually. In addition to two annual home seasons in San Francisco (Dance Downtown and its holiday production, The Velveteen Rabbit), recent highlights include appearances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Next Wave Festival in New York, MODAFE Festival in Seoul Korea, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, and past standing-room-only engagements in Europe, Russia, and Asia. Way’s work was selected by Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) for the Inaugural Dancemotion Tour in 2010.

The company has been widely recognized for its rigorous technique and for its numerous groundbreaking collaborations with, among others, composers Marcelo Zarvos, Bobby McFerrin, Zoë Keating, Zap Mama, Pamela Z and Paul Dresher, writer/singer Rinde Eckert; actors Bill Irwin, Geoff Hoyle and Robin Williams; visual artists Andy Goldsworthy, Wayne Thiebaud, Jim Campbell and Eleanor Coppola; and welder/bike designer Max Chen.

ODC is known nationally for entrepreneurial savvy and was the first modern dance company in the United States to own its home facility, the ODC Theater. In 2005, ODC expanded its campus to include the ODC Dance Commons, which houses ODC/Dance, ODC School, a Pilates studio, and a Healthy Dancers' Clinic.

Free for Members, $5 for Public

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