June 7 and June 8 at 8pm, June 9 at 4pm
CubaCaribe, now in its 21st year, presents its 18th Annual Festival of Dance & Music featuring world premieres, performances, master classes, and celebrations at venues in San Francisco over two weekends, June 7-16.
"Dance and music continue to be a way to resist oppression, release joy, alleviate suffering collectively, all critical to human survival and built into the fabric of Cuban, Brazilian, Haitian, Afro-Peruvian, Puerto Rican cultures," explains Jamaica Itule, Executive Director and Co-Founder of CubaCaribe. "CubaCaribe honors that celebration of joy is revolutionary and how living art forms evolve and respond to the changing world."
Weekend One (June 7-9): Nine local dance companies will create original choreography rooted in the Caribbean and its Diaspora based on the curatorial vision, Acts of resistance, Acts of joy. These artists will explore the questions: Where are the two acts visible in your culture? How do we resist? How do we find and express joy? The performing groups are Yamulee Project San Francisco, Folklo Ayisyen Lakay, Agua Doce Dance, Rueda Con Ritmo, Los Lupenos de San Jose, Cunamacue, Herencia Guantanamera, Marco Palomino & Fredrika Keefer and Grupo Experimental Nago.
Weekend Two (June 12-16): Dances by Alayo Dance Company and ABADA-Capoeira Performance Company will investigate Brazil's and Cuba's history and significance with Carnaval, specifically to the African heritage and culture, deepening understanding of the cultural legacy of Blocos and Cabildos in Comparsas in Carnaval and how they have historically functioned as forms of resistance and power and expressions of joy. This piece will bring the community together to heal following a long period of isolation, strengthening community connections around shared stories and uplifting the Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian community.
$25-$39.