April 7 and April 8 at 8pm; April 9 at 5pm
CubaCaribe, celebrating its 20th season, announced its 17th Annual Festival of Dance & Music featuring two weeks of world premieres, performances, master classes, and celebrations in San Francisco. The second weekend of the Festival, entitled Reunion/Gathering, features a mixed program showcasing performances by: Alafia Dance Ensemble (San Francisco), Agua Doce (Santa Cruz, CA), Cuicacalli (San Francisco), Emilio Hernandez Gonzalez (Havana, Cuba), and Los Lupenos de San Jose (San Jose, CA). Each will perform original choreography rooted in the Caribbean and its Diaspora and based on the theme of reunion or gathering, which can be either a noun or a verb, something we do or is done.
"The isolation of the last few years and the gradual reuniting have taken many forms. For this year's Festival, we are reflecting on our individual and shared experiences and resilience," explains Jamaica Itule, Executive Director and Co-Founder of CubaCaribe.
The April 8 performance includes the pre-show 2023 Honoree Celebration at 8pm, paying tribute to the contributions of Yvonne Daniel, Ph.D, Professor Emerita of Dance and Afro-American Studies at Smith College for her Caribbean dance research.
A Post-Show Celebration at Bissap Baobab (2243 Mission St, SF, CA 94110) takes place April 9. Admission includes one cocktail, one appetizer and dancing with the live band, Sabor de mi Cuba.
CubaCaribe was co-founded in 2003 by Itule and Alayo on the principle that dance, music and visual art have the power to unite people of diverse perspectives, and in order to tap into the large talent pool represented by the significant community of Cuban and Caribbean artists who live and practice in the Bay Area. CubaCaribe fosters greater understanding and appreciation of Caribbean arts and culture. It is highly acclaimed for being the only festival to present popular, contemporary and folkloric cultural expression, religion, history, and politics of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora.
$28.