Happy New Year!
Before we charge ahead into 2018 we are taking a look back at our incredible 10th Anniversary Season. Wow! Thank you to everyone who danced with us, hired us, created with us, motivated us, supported us, inspired us and cheered us on!
With love and gratitude,
Sarah and the SBDP team

---

2017 was FULL!

Community Artivism

Sarah attended the Women’s March in DC and performed at a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood with a stellar group of musicians including: Natalia Zuckerman, Anne Heaton, and Sara Bareillis!. See videos here: “Motherless Child, Maybe It’s Peace” and “Brave”

Sarah created, taught and performed the Wonder Flashmob dance in honor of International Women’s Day — involving hundreds of folks in the Bay Area & beyond. Dancing in public, joining hands with strangers was fun and powerful. Watch news footage. You can still join the Facebook group to learn and teach the dance in your area!

Sarah choreographed and directed the “Stripped Bare for Healthcare” video project in support of the Affordable Care Act.

Sarah and Corey Action created an LGBTQ flashmob called “Pride Freedom Dance Movement” for Oakland Pride and Spectrum Queer Media’s “Revolve” arts festival. Join the movement here!

Sarah’s dance students performed at the Oakland Metro Opera House in a statement piece for Corey Action’s Puerto Rico fundraiser, pleading with the president to not ignore the dire need of communities devastated by hurricanes.

Commission / Guest Artist

Sarah was a Guest Artist with Berkeley High School’s Dance Production class. Working alongside department head, Linda Carr, to create a 20-minute piece for 30 teenage dancers. The material grew out of group conversations about the Women’s March and journaling about the experience of growing up female. We asked the questions, “What is feminine?” and “How do we support each other to become our own unique, truly free, selves?”

Sarah choreographed and performed a high energy hip-hop/jazz number down the marble staircases of the Bently Reserve with a group of stellar Bay Area LGBTQ dancers, featuring NYC Vogue-ing legend, José Gutiérrez Xtravaganza. The performance kicked off the night at Mark Rhoades 10th Annual Pride VIP Party benefitting The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation which provides aid for HIV services, hunger programs and support for homeless and disenfranchised youth.

Dance Brigade commissioned Sarah to make a new site-specific piece for their outdoor dance festival, Summer Feast in Dos Rios, CA. A commentary on water, air and pollution, “Black Sky” was performed by Rose Huey, Courtney King, Kim Ip, and joined by dancers from Laytonville and Dance Mission, SF.

In collaboration with the exhibiting artists, Sarah created and led an “Art In Action” workshop at the Berkeley Art Center. Joined by SBDP dancers Julie and Clarissa, the event consisted of a series of multimedia and multi sensory activities designed to provide insight into creative process and deepen their engagement as viewers. Make sure to visit this gallery!

SBDP added dance to three services at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley:
– Dancing the Revolution. Words written by Jeanette LeBlanc and delivered by Kathryn Jay, accompanied by drummer Randy Peyser.
– MILCK’s anthem “I Can’t Keep Quiet”. Watch Sarah‘s solo which built into a flashmob.
– A story about the willingness to trust and change for the Water Communion service.

Sarah and Rose added their choreography and dancing to a music video directed by Corey Action-Harrison to be screened as part of Adrian West Band’s live performance event Wed January 24th in SF.

Movement Consultant

2017 was Sarah’s second year of leading workshops as a movement consultant for SF’s Quince restaurant, studying and improving the posture, facial expression, eye contact and movements of their stunning service staff. The whole dining experience there is a work of art.

Sarah worked as a private coach for a variety of dancers including the phenomenal Darius Drooh as he prepared for his “So You Think You Can Dance” audition (check him out at 3:05!)

Sarah taught regular weekly classes at New Style Motherlode in Oakland and Studio Azul in Berkeley as well as guest teaching at Mona Khan, Ah-Lan, San Ramon Valley Dance Academy, Lines Ballet – SF Dance Center, and Shawl-Anderson Dance Center. Join Sarah Bush Dance Classes Facebook group for current class offerings.

Sarah worked throughout the year with musician Venetia on choreography, movement coaching and creative consulting for her upcoming Glo Show tour! Opens in SF on Fri Feb 2nd!

Repertory – This Land & Rocked By Women

Sarah, Rose, Nina, and Shanise toured the SBDP Rocked By Women show to the Caribbean, onboard Olivia Travel’s “Festival At Sea” – sharing an incredible week with women artists, activists, comedians, musicians, actors, leaders including: Elvira Kurt, Mouths of Babes, Lisa Vogel, Karen Williams, Margaret Belton, Kofy Brown, Katie Cash, Shelley Doty, Julie Wolf, Alyson Palmer, Amy Ray, Billie Jean King, Dolores Huerta, and Edie Windsor.

Back in the Bay Area, SBDP did 3 performances of Rocked By Women for audience including national and international presenters as part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival at Fort Mason. Sarah also taught a Master Class and participated on panels at the Cowell Theater.

SBDP led two “This Land” workshops for all ages as part of East Bay Regional Park District’s “Multicultural Wellness” program. Exploring the beautiful Ardenwood Farm and Contra Loma parks.

Homeward

We completed our 10th Season filled with joy and gratitude from two wonderful weekends of Homeward at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center in Berkeley. 4 sold out shows, standing-ovation audiences, heartfelt tears and laughter, a brilliant team. So much love for the all-star cast: Marley Leary de Jesus, Clarissa Dyas, Julie Crothers, Jeni Leary, Sarah Bush, Sue Li Jue, and Joan Lazarus.

Sarah and members of the Homeward cast were involved in many interviews with press. Read or listen to some of those here.

Creative Growth

In 2017 Sarah did more sound and video editing for her own projects – a fun, challenging extension of her artistic expression.

Sarah has been participating in The Iteration Project, joining artists across the country in creating weekly videos inspired by creativity prompts. See some of Sarah’s on YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, and join the project yourself.

What’s Ahead

January 19th – San Francisco Movement Arts Festival at Grace Cathedral, SF.
Sarah returns to the festival with a new solo “Pandora’s Box” at the Station of the Red Stone.

October 2018 – SBDP Home Season
This past fall Sarah took an incredible trip to the Galápagos Islands- the trip was photography focused, with luxurious amounts of time to look, watch, see and compose. Her time and writings on that trip, combined with reading Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women who Run with the Wolves, are feeding her creative process as we plan for SBDP’s 2018 home season scheduled around Halloween.

Exciting Announcement

We are thrilled to announce that SBDP dancer and Homeward Assistant Director, Rose Huey will be continuing to work alongside Sarah to grow her new position creatively and administratively with the company. Together they’ll be working to create and fund the new show and tour SBDP’s rep projects (Rocked By Women, This Land, Homeward).

Phew! You should get a prize if you read this all the way to the end!

Cheers to YOU — to all you created and accomplished in 2017! Thank you for being part of SBDP’s year! We look forward to sharing this new year with you.

 

Best wishes for a wonder-full 2018,

Sarah and the Sarah Bush Dance Project team