Dig a just a little deeper in the cultural landscape and there are lots of hidden treasures in San Francisco's independent arts scene. This week we're previewing three shows that don't have publicists, big budgets or a high profile, but might be worth checking out.
Traveling deep into the southern parts of the city to Dance Mission at 24th Street, choreographer Brittany Brown Ceres is presenting a new season of work titled The Limits of the Marvelous. Brown Ceres is one of those artists who quietly goes about her craft, meticulously constructing new works without a lot of bells and whistles. Her work has been consistently good, and local critics have called her "brainy and luscious" (Dance View Quarterly ) and "swift and irresistible" (Voice of Dance). "Dance is how I understand the world around me. Through movement, experiences rattle around and shake into interior places towards balance and awareness," says Brown Ceres.
The pieces Brown Ceres is presenting include Corps de Co., which premiered at this year's West Wave Dance Festival. The piece has an all–woman ensemble and features a multimedia installation designed by Austin Forbord. Brown Ceres has also been working with Stanford University students on a new piece titled Streaming, a collage of solos, duets and a short ensemble section (Streaming is also the only piece in which Brown Ceres will be performing). Veteran dancer and teacher Joan Lazarus appears in the solo "Epitaphe de Marie," a piece about death and resolution.
Local curator Jessica Robinson describes Brown Ceres' work as "subtle and complex, but also accessible. Unlike many contemporary choreographers, she doesn't shy away from creating beautiful movement. But through that beautiful movement, she explores the intricate, personal, and often painful details of life that affect all of us. She's guaranteed to push you out of your comfort zone, but you're also likely to enjoy the process."
At CounterPULSE in SoMa this weekend, you can find Dance Monks, a company directed by Mirah Kelly Moriarty and Rodrigo Esteva that recently relocated to the Bay Area. The performance will feature two pieces, including Postcards of Mexico, a cross-cultural love letter to Mexico (where Esteva hails from) which was created in collaboration with photographer Sebastian Belaustegui. Also featured in the performance is GREEN/A Force of Nature, which was inspired by the phrase "Let's green this city." An Inconvenient Truth meets modern dance, GREEN/A Force of Nature is an earnest attempt to create an eco-friendly dance piece. What sounds most interesting is Marcos Duran's videography featuring the performers dancing at Muir Beach. The eco themes in the piece might have long-lasting effects — the company has been invited to teach at some local schools, and KPFA is interested in contributing an oral history. But, says Kelly Moriarty, "The larger significance is ecologically relevant to our times. We've been encouraged by responses from people who have heard about the project. We have offers for two local residency locations, and the community's participation will become more common as the project lends itself to ecologically-concerned audiences." Be sure to make a reservation for this performance, because it will probably sell out.
Lastly, check out the tiny James Howell Studio at 66 Sanchez this weekend. This space has lots of local history (it's still owned by Joffrey Ballet co-founder Gerald Arpino), and RAWdance is curating and performing in a new program there called the Concept Series. This weekend, their guests will be Hope Mohr, Nol Simonse, Project Agora and Vispo Dance. It's bound to be the quintessential San Francisco experience of traveling to a new neighborhood and discovering a hidden jewel in the city.
Dance Ceres at Dance Mission, 3316 24th St., SF. Nov. 30-Dec. 2, see www.danceceres.org for times. Tickets ($15) (415) 794-0752. Dance Monks at CounterPULSE, 1310 Mission St., SF. Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets ($15): (415) 435-7552. RAWdance at James Howell Studio, 66 Sanchez St., SF. Dec. 1-2 (see www.rawdance.org for times), pay what you can.