SFDanceworks

07/12/2025

FINAL SHOW TODAY! JOIN US!

20% OFF Standard tickets with code:
SFDW8

A few tickets still available!

TICKET LINK:
http://www.zspace.org/sfdanceworks-s8

AND Check out our recent review!

https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sfdanceworks-ja-collective-emma-portner-20762838.php

Viral dance artist Emma Portner’s Bay Area debut transfixes alongside world premiere by Los Angeles duos JA Collective.

07/08/2025

In an article out now, (see stories to read the full article!) Artistic Director, Dana Genshaft speaks to James Ambroff-Tahan from Bay City News about all things Season 8 including the genius duet “elephant” by Emma Portner. Portner will perform the duet with longtime SFDW collaborator, Brett Conway. Speaking to the originality of Portner and her work, Genshaft says,

“There’s something deeply moving about the work and its intentionality, like, where is it going and what’s making her move or what’s her thinking on steps,” Genshaft says. “When I watch her work, I feel moved by what she’s doing, and there’s depth and vulnerability behind her work.”

TICKETS START AT $15 AND ARE ARE SELLING FAST.
http://www.zspace.org/sfdanceworks-s8

Image: Backstage Jackson
Emma Portner performs her recent work, “All My Solos Were Prayers” at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society
“All My Solos Were Prayers”
Choreographed and performed by: Emma Portner
Cloud by: Dominic Kiessling
Debuted at: Lafayette Anticipations, Paris, France

07/08/2025

Genshaft says of the choreographers: “They are artists who, even though they haven’t been making work for a long time, have been influential and have been changing the landscape of what we think of as contemporary dance.”

“The piece is a fusion-style work that Genshaft says, “feels really American and of the moment, with hip hop and commercial dance.”

Los Angeles-based Carberry and Johnson, who trained under the forward-looking William Forsythe—known for integrating ballet and visual arts—make dances for pop music videos. A trio they created and danced in their SFDanceworks’ debut last fall impressed Genshaft.

“They were just so fresh and dynamic that I felt like we didn’t want to wait too long to bring them back because they were just on such a steep inclination,” she recalls. “It’s a trajectory in their career that I felt like the sooner we get working with them, the better.”

“They’re very sincere in their effort to create an environment that’s positive, productive and thoughtful for the people they work with, knowing that they’re going to be pushing them very hard because their language is new to our artists — they’re not used to moving that way,” she explains. “It takes a lot of brain power to assimilate the detail of the choreography and the speed.”

With electronic music by Daniel Mangiaracino, lighting by San Francisco Ballet’s James French and costumes by Brett Conway.

SEASON 8 OPENS NEXT THURSDAY!!
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE!
LINK: http://www.zspace.org/sfdanceworks-s8

Image: Backstage Jackson
JA Collective’s Aidan Carberry and Jordan Johnson perform their work at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society

07/08/2025

Welcome Riley O’Flynn, who will be joining SFDW Season 8! We are so fortunate Riley was able to jump in last minute due to an unexpected injury. Riley is an incredible artist with a wealth of experience and talent and joins the family with an open heart. Sadly, SFDW favorite, Isaac Bates-Vinueza is unable to perform due to injury, but we wish him a speedy recovery and can’t wait to see him back in SFDW performances in the near future.

A San Francisco native, Riley O’Flynn earned his BFA from The Juilliard School. He was honored as a Princess Grace Award recipient in 2016, nominated by Juilliard. From 2017 to 2024, he danced with GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, collaborating with choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Hofesh Shechter, Sharon Eyal, Maxine Doyle, Paul Blackman & Christine Gouzelis, Alexander Ekman, Imre & Marne van Opstal, Tom Weinberger, and Emma Portner, among others. Most recently, O’Flynn performed in Kyle Abraham’s latest work at the Park Avenue Armory and with Kidd Pivot for their 2025 tour of Assembly Hall.

Image: Riley O’Flynn by Jon McRae

06/22/2025

JA Collective’s unique approach to contemporary dance has created a novel style and vision. Using their expertise in commercial work they bring a fresh take to concert dance. Witty, relatable, intricate, and unexpected, their Season 8 World Premiere will certainly leave you grateful for the direction they are taking dance. With an original score from up and coming composer and interdisciplinary artist, Daniel Mangiaracino, it will be like nothing you’ve experienced before.

Snag your tickets NOW! Link: http://www.zspace.org/sfdanceworks-s8

Image:
JA Collective’s Jordan Johnson and Aidan Carberry perform at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society.
Captured by: Backstage Jackson

SFDANCEWORKS SEASON 8 July 10 - 12 on Z Space’s Steindler Stage Building on the successes of season 7, we are thrilled to welcome back west coast rising stars JA Collective for a world premiere. JA Collective’s signature style — a striking blend of highly physical movement language and astonis...

06/17/2025

This week, Nat Wilson joins SFDW to stage Yue Yin’s “A Measurable Existence.” A marathon of a duet, Nat will stage and perform the work with SFDW artist, Isaac Bates-Vinueza. We are thrilled to present Yue Yin’s work once more. Giving some insight into the work, longtime Yue Yin Dance Company contributor, Nat said,

“‘A Measurable Existence’ is a tour de force that I am so thrilled to be staging and performing with SF Danceworks. It's always a joy to recreate the electric relationship between the two dancers who perform this work, developing our unique connection while staying true to Yue Yin's unique movement language. The physicality and vulnerability this work requires makes every performance a showstopping event.”

Join us to see this and other works presented in SF for the first time!

Link for tickets. Shows run July 10-12 at Z Space.

http://www.zspace.org/sfdanceworks-s8

Image Credit:
Nat Wilson by: Alice Chacon
Courtesy of YYDC

06/17/2025

Big love to all those who came to support us at our SOLD OUT Saint Joseph’s “Residency and Reveal.” The energy was electric and it was a rare occasion to connect with our community. Standing ovations for Emma Portner and JA Collective’s performances and SFDW artists in process with JA Collective confirmed what a special program we have in store for Season 8. Plus our engaging talk back led by Joseph Walsh gave an artist’s look into the minds of these incredible artists. We hope you have a clear vision of where Season 8 will take you and are as stoked about Season 8 as we are!

If you were not able to attend, not to worry! We will continue to give you glimpses into what Season 8 is all about- but don’t delay- snag your tickets now before it’s too late!

On stage at Z Space July 10-12!!

Please also consider supporting SFDW to continue to bring cutting edge dance to SF!

Ticket and support links in bio!!

Image: Backstage Jackson
SfDW Artists rehearse JA Collective’s upcoming world premiere
At: Saint Joseph’s Arts Society “Residency and Reveal”

06/02/2025

COME MOVE WITH US!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-class-with-sfdanceworks-artists-tickets-1390986631459?aff=oddtdtcreator

OPEN CLASSES ARE BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! COME JOIN SFDW ARTISTS AS THEY PREPARE FOR SEASON 8! LED BY SFDW ARTISTS AND BAY AREA FAVS BRETT CONWAY AND ISAAC BATES-VINUEZA! HELD AT SMUIN CENTER FOR DANCE!

Dates:

June 2: 11:30-12:30 with Brett Conway
June 3: 9:15-10:15 with Brett Conway
June 9: 11:45-12:45 with Isaac Bates-Vinueza
June 10: 9:30-10:30 with Brett Conway
June 12: 9:45-10:45 with Isaac Bates-Vinueza

SEE YA THERE!

Image: Reneff Olsen Productions
Emily Hansel and Isaac Bates-Vinueza

05/15/2025

TICKETS ARE LIVE!!
$10 ONLY!
JUNE 6th, 2025
5:00-7:00pm

https://thethirdplace.is/event/sfdanceworks

Saint Joseph’s Arts Society and SFDanceworks come together for a two-day creative residency and an evening of conversation on
June 6, 2025 5:00-7:00pm.

Join us for a Happy Hour gathering of new works in process, conversation with Season 8 choreographers JA Collective and Emma Portner, moderated by SF Ballet Principal Dancer, Joseph Walsh, while mingling with SFDancework artists!

TICKETS ARE ONLY $10

Image: JA Collective’s Season 7 World Premiere, “impact III”
Jordan Johnson, Aidan Carberry, and Lani Yamanaka
Image by: Robbie Sweeny

Saint Joseph’s Arts Society and [SFDanceworks](https://www.sfdanceworks.org/) come together for a two-day creative residency and an evening of movement and conversation on June 6, 2025. This program opens the doors to the magic behind the work, giving audiences an intimate glimpse into the artisti...

05/13/2025

SAVE THE DATE!!
JUNE 6, 2025!!

In Motion: A Residency + Reveal

Saint Joseph’s Arts Society and SFDanceworks come together for a two-day creative residency and an evening of conversation on June 6, 2025.

This program event opens the doors to the magic behind the works, giving audiences an intimate glimpse into the artistic process of some of today’s most exciting choreographers, including JA Collective and internationally acclaimed Emma Portner.

Hosted at Saint Joseph’s, the evening offers artist introductions, an inside look at rehearsals and live performance excerpts. Enjoy it all alongside a happy hour bar — and a special MC debut by SFBallet principal dancer, Joseph Walsh! Join us for a celebration of movement, creativity, and community.

$10 TICKETS ON SALE SOON!
STAY TUNED!!

Image: Courtesy of Saint Joseph’s Art Society

05/13/2025

SEASON 8 TICKETS ARE LIVE!!

http://www.zspace.org/sfdanceworks-s8

GRAB YOURS NOW!

JULY 10th-12th AT Z SPACE!

TICKETS RANGE FROM: $15-$135

* JA COLLECTIVE, WORLD PREMIERE
* EMMA PORTNER, BAY AREA DEBUT AND NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF “elephant”
* YUE YIN, BAY AREA PREMIERE OF “A MEASURABLE EXISTENCE”

TICKET LINK IN BIO!!

Image:
Babatunji Johnson by Quinn Wharton

12/03/2024

“SFDanceworks has been an essential, small-but-mighty contributor to the Bay Area’s dance ecology...and now, with its Season 7 showcase, [Dana Genshaft] has brought SFDanceworks to peak hipness.”

—Rachel Howard,
DATEBOOK: SF CHRONICLE

This Giving Tuesday we hope you can extend a little love to our small but mighty company. There is not gift too small, we feel every bit of the support. Your generosity allows us to hold space for innovators, artists, collaborators and dreamers you might not otherwise experience in the Bay Area’s dance scene.

Thank you for making each Season with SFDW one for the books! Stay tuned for more world-class contemporary dance!

Image:
Rena Butler performs Marco Goecke’s “Äffi”
Costume: Marco Goecke
Lighting: Jim French after Udo Haberland
Photography: Amber Bliss, Trubliss Photography