Every June, the National Queer Arts Festival (NQAF) presents their annual program featuring an eclectic selection of queer dance-makers from the Bay Area, as well as visual arts, spoken word and other queer performance. NQAF is unique in that it's partially uncurated, which allows it to be inclusive, meaning that the artists don't have to jump through hoops to be in the festival. The downside is that the work can sometimes be a little uneven. Unfortunately, La Cebra from Mexico City, a co-production with the SF International Arts Festival, had to cancel at the last minute. One of the exciting things about NQAF is that the artists are encouraged to experiment and create work outside the mainstream. This year, there are some new voices that have emerged from the Bay Area's ever-fermenting performance scene.
Translations: Dancing the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality (June 9-11 at ConterPULSE): This program co-produced by Asian American Dance Performances and CounterPULSE is in its second year. After a successful debut at Jon Sims Center (JSC) last year, Translations moved to CounterPULSE and expanded its programming to focus on the "intersection between race, gender and sexuality." Spearheaded by Jes Lee, this year's show will feature local artists Nguyen Dance Company, Chinawind Dance & Art, Nature Theater of Oklahoma, Twincest, Vispo Dance and guest artists from the East Coast. Most intriguing on the list is probably Twincest, which includes Lee and artistic partner Shawn Tamarubuchi. This sexy duo is unpredictable, pretty much blowing up any preconceived ideas about Asian dance.
Dandelion Dancetheater presents the Naked Body in Performance (June 9-10 at JSC): It's the return of naked bodies dancing at JSC as the Undressed Project goes back to its roots, to where they began exploring the idea of body image five years ago. The company is working on a new piece called Annica, which will debut later in the summer at Project Artaud. Info on the JSC program was a little sketchy, but clothing is optional for audience members, and that's got to be a first, even for San Francisco.
GROUP presents Fracture (June 16-18 at JSC): GROUP is another dance company that was born out of JSC's AIRspace residency program. Directed by Jason Hancock, the group will present an encore presentation of their work from last year. JSC's new executive director Marta Tejeda says "GROUP's work brings an experience that is both challenging and entertaining." The performances will use dance-theatre to examine families of origin verses families of choice using text, movement and song to look at the dynamics of race, culture, language, gender and sexuality.
Fresh Meat 2006 presents The Fifth Anniversary Transgender & Queer Performance Festival (June 15-17 at ODC Theater): Wow, hard to believe it's already been five years since this ground-breaking tribe of transgendered and queer artists first raised the roof at ODC. This year it's a conglomeration of modern-day vaudeville led by transgendered author Kate Bornstein, who has written a new piece to help celebrate the anniversary. The program is definitely all-star, including MC Veronica Combs (liquidFIRE), Harlem Shake Burlesque, contemporary choreographer Sean Dorsey (Fresh Meat artistic director), rapper JenRO, Juba Kalmka (Deep Dickollective), hip hop MC Katastrophe, hip hop dancers Sisterz of the Underground and local tranny-rock icon Shawn Virago. These shows will sell out, and Fresh Meat has added a late-night show on Saturday.
RAWdance presents Per-Verses (June 1-3 at the Belcher Street Studios): Another new company that has made a big splash this year and is showing up at NQAF. Co-directed by Ryan Smith and Wendy Rein, this is a seriously sexy company that knows they're sexy and aren't afraid to show it. Per-Verses is designed as a gallery installation and deals with issues surrounding "the body as a battleground for our personal and political debates of desire." Look for lots of fit dancers not wearing a lot, and some intense dancing.
Joe Goode Performance Group presents Stay Together (June 2-11 at Yerba Center for the Arts): The company celebrates its 20th anniversary with San Francisco Symphony music director Michael Tilson Thomas, who wrote the score for this premiere. Also on the bill is a revival of Deeply There (stories of a neighborhood).
National Queer Arts Festival runs June 1-30. Info: www.queerculturalcenter.org, or (415) 864-4124.
Joe Landini can be reached at [email protected].