World Arts West Dance Festival Weekend 2:Artist Dialogues + Dance Workshops

Weekend #2 continues with more insightful Artist Dialogues + energetic Dance Workshops at Dance Mission Theater.

12-1:30pm - Evolution + Preservation: evolving traditional dance in contemporary settings Panel (90 minutes)

In this panel, we look to explore the push and pull relationship between evolution & preservation. We will unpack the necessity of preserving traditions while acknowledging the importance of adapting to the times. How do artists honor both through their work? What are the costs and benefits to community, diversity and quality of life?

Moderator - Kiazi Malonga

Speakers - Vanessa Sanchez, Philip Agyapong, Ishita Mili

1:30-2:30pm - Dance Workshop (60 minutes)

Philip Agyapong - AfroPop

2:30-3pm - Break

3pm - Female empowerment through dance Panel (90 minutes)

This panel will focus on the contribution of women in historical dance cultures, addressing the everpresent sexism, and investigating personal stories of growth and influence.

Moderator - Andréa Spearman

Speakers - Ishika Seth, Suhaila Salimpour, Jenay Anolin

4:30pm - Dance Workshop (60 minutes)

Suhaila Salimpour - Belly Dance

5:30pm - Cypher/Jam (30 minutes)

Led by Jenay Anolin (of Mix'd Ingrdnts)

Speaker Bios:

is a Chicana dancer, choreographer and educator who focuses on community arts and traditional dance forms to emphasize voices and experiences of Latina, Chicana, and Indigenous womxn and youth. Based in San Francisco, she the Executive Artistic Director of La Mezcla, a rhythmic ensemble of womxn of color that explores historical narratives and social justice through tap dance, Mexican zapateado and Afro-Caribbean rhythms.

is a Dance teacher and researcher from Ghana and currently lives in California– USA. At the University of Ghana, he earned his dance education by studying African dance forms from the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Ga-Adangbe, Ewe, Fon, Akan, Dagomba, etc. in West Africa. Currently, he teaches African Neo-Traditional dance forms (both theory and practice), African Popular dance and Contemporary African dance intertiary institutions across the Bay Area – California.

is a Bengali-American director, choreographer, educator, and iconoclast. She founded as a dance company that unravels cultural roots to thread together global stories with artists of diverse backgrounds. IMGE’s holistic movement vocabulary encompasses dynamic imagery, mudra storytelling, and percussive footwork to confront social and cultural constructs.

is an Indian immigrant, choreographer, dancer, dance educator, writer & parent. She strives to create works to challenge social, cultural and political constructs. She combines Indian and Western aesthetic and movement styles to create an idiom of Indian Contemporary dance movement. Her eclectic training in modern dance, contemporary, jazz, yoga, mayurbhanj chhau, kathak and Waacking enable her to constantly explore and expand her movement vocabulary and art-making. She obtained her BA in Dance from SJSU and has been dancing professionally for 15 years. She is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Ishami Dance Company, a South Asian Contemporary Dance company based in the Bay Area.

is a first-generation belly dancer from the SWANA region (Southwest Asia and North Africa), renowned as a pioneer in her field. The visionary behind the first certification program & pedagogy in belly dance, Suhaila introduced a revolutionary methodology for both performance and instruction that has inspired a global community of dancers to approach the art form with dedication and depth.

is an Oakland Native who has been community organizing for the past 17 years. Jenay is the Co-Founder and Director of the all-female street dance company, Mix’d Ingrdnts, in the Bay Area and is a veteran youth educator, empowering teenagers through movement, nutrition and wellness practices, and leadership development.

Host or Publisher World Arts West