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Statement of Solidarity

To the Bay Area Arts Community,

 

The undersigned members of the Queering Dance Festival Organizing Committee have made a commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility, and collectivity in support of our LGBTQIA2+ dance community. We are a committee made up of diverse ethnic backgrounds, abilities, genders, cultures and sexualities in the unceded Ohlone lands of the Bay Area. 

 

As American citizens living on stolen Indigenous lands, we recognize the importance of supporting Indigenous sovereignty and their struggles against ongoing colonization. Therefore, we must speak out against the US-funded violences in Gaza, the West Bank and across historic Palestine. This imperialist violence is deeply connected to the suffering that we witness everyday in the Congo, Sudan, Tigray, Puerto Rico, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, Hawai’i, and around the world - all of which goes against our organization’s values and principles. 

 

Queering Dance Festival wholeheartedly supports Palestinian liberation. We affirm Palestinians’ legitimate right to live in and return to their indigenous homeland. We recognize that the genocide against Palestine began long before October 7th, as instigated by the UK and the Zionist Israeli state – a settler colonial state which is not representative of Judaism or all Jewish peoples in diaspora. We are against genocide in any form against all peoples.

 

We also condemn the senseless murder of all victims of this crisis, as directly or indirectly caused by Israeli apartheid, their 75 years of colonial occupation, and Western imperialism. As queer artists, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian LGBTQIA2+ community, who have been consistently erased and exploited. As a multiracial, multicultural coalition, we stand against Islamophobia, Jewish anti-Semitism, and all forms of identity-based discrimination. As folks with varying levels of ability, we condemn the mass disabling attacks, destruction of the Gazan healthcare system, and the resulting ableist neglect of disabled Palestinians.

 

We call on our community to join us in supporting Palestinian liberation. While this is not an exhaustive list, we ask that you consider doing any of the following: 

 

These are ongoing efforts that will require long-term commitment in order to end the occupation. The violence must end, so that everyone can mourn their dead and healing can begin. We demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire now, an end to apartheid, an end to US global imperialism, and peace between all peoples - in Palestine and around the globe.

Sincerely,

Queering Dance Festival - Organizing Committee

Jessi Barber, Chibueze Crouch, Snowflake Calvert, Clarissa Dyas, and Deneka Siu

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

QDF Free Movement Class 2022 taught by Kim Ip - photo by Snowflake Calvert_edited.jpg

Winter Events

December 9th | 12-3pm
FLANNEL & FROST WINTER GATHERING
Telegraph Beer Garden


December 10th | 11-4pm
FREE CLASS SERIES
Berkeley Ballet Theater
Image Description: A slide with a lavender background and a drawing of a smiling brown-skinned person looking down. They have short pink hair and gold piercings in their nose, lip, and ears. They are buttoning a striped blue, pink, and light green flannel shirt. White text at the top reads "Flannel and Frost" and white text in the center saying "Saturday: 12/9, 12 PM - 3 PM, F" At the bottom is white text saying "Hosted by Queering Dance Festival."
FLANNEL & FROST QDF Winter Gathering

Saturday, December 9th | 12-3pm

Telegraph Beer Garden, 2318 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

Everything is a lot, so we are keeping it casual for our annual winter gathering! Come hang with  us at Beeryland (aka Telegraph Beer Garden) from 12 - 3 pm. Grab a drink and bring a friend as we close out the season. Wearing your finest flannel is *highly* encouraged.

 

*Free Entry, Outdoor Seating, ADA Accessible*

Hope to see you there!

QDF Free Class Series!
Sunday, December 10th | 11am-4pm

Berkeley Ballet Theater - 1370 10th Street, Berkeley CA
Pre-register highly encouraged, Drop-ins welcome
Wheelchair accessible studio
Masks optional but encouraged
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House & Contemporary Fusion
w/ Jenelle aka JADU
11am-12:30pm | BBT Studio 3

Class Description & Bio coming soon!

a photo of JanpiStar, a Puerto Rican dancer, looking up at the camera, squinting slightly. Janpi has short dark brown hair and wears a black mesh shirt. Janpi is reaching up to the camera with an outstretched hand, fingers bent and curving softly.
Contemporary
w/ JanpiStar
12:45pm-2:15pm | BBT Studio 3

Contemporary Movement is a class that explores the body and the space in different levels. From Improvisation to technical exercise this class is designed so the individual can express their individuality in dance.

JanpiStar was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Janpi with a Degree in Drama from the University of Puerto Rico had the opportunity of working with important actresses and choreographers in the island. This Star worked with the theater group "Jóvenes del 98" ( 2016 -2018) in Puerto Rico until they move to Oakland California to joined AXIS Dance Company. JanpiStar has done works with choreographers like Petra Bravo with "instalaciones Coreograficas , las  casitas de Santurce" in The fine arts center of Puerto Rico in 2016 , Arthur Pitta /Alice in Californiland 2019 , Jennifer Archibal /Petrichord 2019, and Asun Noales 2022, Janpi has been commissioned in the Bay Area by different festivals & organizations like : Queering Dance Festival on 2019, 2020 & 2022 and by The FreshMeat Production in 2021 & 2022.

a photo of Snowflake Calvert, an Indigenous two-spirit person in a white crop top and red pants. She has shoulder-length, curly black hair. Snowflake holds her two outstretched arms in front of her body, palms open towards the viewer.
Queer Political Healing
w/ Snowflake Calvert
2:30-4pm | BBT Studio 3

Join us on a stress-relief journey rooted in Indigenous wisdom, offering practical tools for enduring challenges of this time. This workshop will incorporate a somatic approach and gentle contact for a holistic experience.

Snowflake Arizmendi-Calvert is a Two-Spirit performance artist of Tzotzil of Simojovel, Yaqui of Sonora, and of Raramuri of Chihuahua heritage. In her career she’s a professional dancer, drag performer/event host, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. She produces LGBTQ+ events as platforms for political, social, and cultural activism. In addition to being a professional dancer, she is a choreographer and dance teacher. She was a member of The Haus of Towers, former host of Revel - a monthly queer fundraiser at The SF Eagle for The Groundswell Institute, has worked with the Bay Area American Indian Two Spirit Powwow (BAAITS), teaches somatic movement workshops through an Indigenous perspective, was a principal dancer for Redding City Ballet, had the privilege of working with several companies (classical ballet, modern, indigenous contemporary) throughout her dance career internationally, and is the former owner/director of The Dance Zone Studio.

About QDF

Founded in 2019, the QUEERING DANCE FESTIVAL is by and for LGBTQ+ movement artists. Through performances, events, workshops and more, QDF highlights the artistic work and issues on the minds of the queer, trans and gender-nonconforming dance community in the East Bay.

Produced by the QDF Steering Committee, a non-hierarchical collaborative of queer dancers,  QDF presents dance through a queer lens, elevating the work and diverse voices of local LGBTQ+ movement artists from all backgrounds.

QDF STEERING COMMITTEE

Snowflake Calvert, Chibueze Crouch, Clarissa Dyas, Deneka Siu, Jessi Barber

Questions, Comments, Critiques, Love to send? Email us at qdf@shawl-anderson.org

Past Committee Members:

2021-2023: Aiano Nakagawa

2021-2022: Gabrielle Lochard, Ky Woodward-Sollenes

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Stay Tuned for 2023-34 Events!

Past Events

QDF Free Class Series

Wed, June 7 - Sun, June 11

Berkeley Ballet Theater, 1310 10th St, Berkeley
 

Free! Pre-registration is strongly encouraged!

Undercurrent
Steph Hewett
Wed, June 7th
5-6:30pm

Studio 3
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This class will explore artistic practices of transgression through utilizing somatic and improvisational techniques. We will investigate the ways our bodies hold information and how our movements support our exploration of the body as a site of resilience and deep wisdom. 

Stephanie Hewett (she/her) is an multidisciplinary artist working within the mediums of movement and sound. She experiments with different sonic frequencies to uncover ancestral vestiges in the body and uses movement as a guide towards radical methodologies for queer and Black liberation. Originally from the Bronx, New York (Lenapehoking territory), Hewett currently lives in Oakland, CA (Ohlone-Chochenyo territory) where she DJs and produces electronic music under the moniker, Madre Guía. She holds an MFA in Dance Studies and utilizes her creative energy to access modes of resistance in the form of spiritual, physical, and sonic defense.

COME/Closer Improv Practice
Nina Haft
Thursday, June 8
5-6:30pm
BBT Studio 3
Nina Haft and Co (dancers l to r)_ Rebecca Johnson, Sarah Chenoweth, Frances Sedayao; phot

How do we exchange energy across spaces between us? In this workshop we will improvise together, playing with everyday movements and also movements from other parts of lives. As we move into summer and approach the Solstice, we will explore balance and nourishment in our bodies and in community. Movers of all kinds, levels, styles, backgrounds and experiences are invited!

Nina Otis Haft is Artistic Director of Nina Haft & Company, a Bay Area-based contemporary dance ensemble exploring the nature of space and place. Nina has been profiled in Dance Magazine and received support from Djerassi Resident Artist Program, Hambidge Center, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Margaret Jenkins’ Dance Company (CHIME), Conney Project on Jewish Arts, California Arts Council, among other arts foundations. NHCo is known for Dance in Unexpected Places, performing in dockyards, synagogues, bars, parking lots, regional parks, cemeteries and other liminal spaces. Her work has been presented in Boston, LA, Madison, NYC, Portland, San Diego, Novosibirsk, Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah. ninahaftandcompany.com

Queer Pop! Jazz Funk
Jess Bozzo
Saturday, June 10
2:45-4:15pm
BBT Studio 2
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During this jazz funk class, the focus is on feeling your f***ing fantasy baby! Jazz Funk is an industry dance style that pulls influence from all styles of dance--some include, but are not limited to, hip-hop, jazz, and heels. The majority of the class will be spent learning choreography that is rooted in musicality and full out movements that feel powerful/juicy/hot hot hot in the body. This class is a safe and supportive space for you to commit to what feels good in your body and to be perceived in the ways you want to be seen!

Jess Bozzo (she/they), originally from Sacramento, is a choreographer, teacher, and performing artist based in the SF/Bay Area. She received her BA in Dance from San Francisco State University in 2018, where she worked with local companies, ka•nei•see, ODC/Dance and Garrett+Moulton Productions. Jess is currently performing with Blind Tiger Society, Cookie Harrist, REYES Dance, and Hunniez, a local crew in Oakland, and teaches biweekly on Mondays at Full Out Studios.

Queering Ballet
Snowflake Calvert
Sunday, June 11
12:15-1:45pm
BBT Studio 2
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Queering Ballet class is for ALL Trans, Non-Binary, and Queer dancers to explore a ballet class that focuses on de-gendering and decolonizing classical ballet roles within contemporary ballet. Join us as your authentic beautiful self to have fun with us.

Snowflake Calvert (she/her) is a Two-Spirit performance artist. In her career she’s a professional dancer, drag host, and filmmaker. She produces LGBTQ+ events, co-producing Seeds and Sequins, collaborator of TRY Project; Izzie Awards committee member; and a steering committee for the Queering Dance Festival.

Full Out with Feeling
Julie Crothers
Sunday, June 11
2:00-3:30pm
BBT Studio 2
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Class will consist of a juicy follow-along warm up, a couple dramatic passes across the floor to country music triplets, and some funky fresh phrase work from Jules’ upcoming show “Holy Crap”. Class is appropriate for all levels and tools will be offered to empower participants to make choices throughout class that align with what is best for them and what they want! Full Out with Feeling is an opportunity to connect with yourself, your body, your joy, and each other, and get a little sweaty in the process.

Julie Crothers is a white, queer, disabled performer, choreographer, and community educator based in Berkeley, CA. As a maker, Julie utilizes contemporary dance, character, and comedy to tell stories, encourage self-reflection, and foster connection. In everything she creates, Julie strives to be honest, bold, and full of self-irony, and loves inviting audiences into the worlds she creates, where all are welcome.

About
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FROLIC!

Sat-Sun April 1-2

Live Oak Theater, Berkeley

5:30p & 7:30p 

Five commissioned LGBTQ+ dance artists present new work as part of the annual Queering Dance Festival!

 

Program A: Alyah Baker | Scott Duane | Emma Tome

Program B: Clarissa Dyas | Xochipilli Dance Company 

ASL Interpretation on Saturday | Live Audio Description on Sunday

Past Festival Artists
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Bernard Brown/bb moves

photo: Eric Politzer

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Octavia Rose Hingle

photo: Guerrilla Davis

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Chibueze Crouch

photo: KaliMa Amalak

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estrellx supernova

photo: Kamila Amilak

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JanpiStar

photo: Steve Disenhof

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Río Saúl

photo: José Martín García

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Zoe Huey

photo courtesy of artists

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Heather Stockton & Aiano Nakagawa

photo: Robbie Sweeny

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