Step behind the scenes as Matthew Bourne daringly reimagines his groundbreaking “Swan Lake.”

Twenty-four years after its debut, the swans have transformed into fierce, more menacing creatures that embody both freedom and danger. This update, Bourne reveals, was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's “The Birds.” Designers Lez Brotherston and Paule Constable tell us they drew inspiration from “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Handmaid’s Tale." 

During rehearsals, quirky elements emerge through male dancers in drag, though Bourne steers them clear of parody. Principal Liam Mower delves into the prince’s inner turmoil, portraying a conflict of repressed desire and identity. The result is a thrilling revival of Matthew Bourne’s 1995 classic—an emotionally charged, poignant dance spectacle.

Reimagined with a darker edge and inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, witness a ballet being turned upside down by Matthew Bourne. 

The Making of Swan Lake

Renowned choreographer Alexander Ekman ( ''A Swan Lake'' ) collaborated with his favorite filmmaker T.M. Rives to create a short dance film for the San Francisco Dance Film Festival’s ninth annual festival.

The result, a wonderfully whimsical, and at times deeply philosophical, guide to movement as told by Ekman and his friends, dancers Sarah Cecilia, Britt Juleen, Nathaniel Moore, and Ben Needham-Wood. The film is neither very concise nor totally natural, it is purely Ekman.

This short film was part of a previous San Francisco Dance Film Festival season. Tune in this October to see select films from the 2024 festival.

A wonderfully whimsical, and at times deeply philosophical, guide to movement as told by choreographer Alexander Ekman and his friends.

Ekman's Concise Guide to Natural Movement

"Coffee literally changes the way we see, think, and interact with other people. BUT FIRST is our way of exploring this through two of our favorite mediums, film and dance." - Erin Brown Thomas (Director), Mike Esperanza (Choreographer)

Created as part of the San Francisco Dance Film Festival's annual Co-Laboratory program in collaboration with the National Center for Choreography at the University of Akron's Dancing Laboratories. A filmmaker and choreographer are paired together for one week to make a short dance film guided by creativity and the magic of collaboration.

This short film was part of a previous San Francisco Dance Film Festival season. Tune in this October to see select films from the 2024 festival.

But first... coffee. This stimulating short dance film explores how coffee can change the way we see, think, and interact. 

But First

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's visually stunning work is a meditative journey that seamlessly blends dance, nature, and ancient wisdom.

Choreographed by the esteemed Lin Hwai-min, dancers evoke spiritual pilgrimages inspired by Herman Hesse's account of Siddhartha's quest and the introspective religious practices found throughout Asia. A lone monk stands in complete stillness as three tons of golden rice grains flow onto his head and to the stage, creating a shifting landscape of hills, deserts, and rivers that usher the dancers along their journey.  Enchanting Georgian folksongs reverberate through the space while dancers sift through the sandy rice creating a powerful narrative of self-discovery and the pursuit of enlightenment.  

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's visually stunning work is a meditative journey that seamlessly blends dance, nature, and ancient wisdom.


Songs of the Wanderers

Six dancers take us on a frantic and humorous journey through 20 paintings, where inventive parody and incredible skill come together to shatter expectations. 

This multidisciplinary and zany show combines poetry and motion, with an all-male ensemble in flashy costumes poking fun at the sometimes-serious dance world and demonstrating that a bare-chested man in a tutu can indeed perform a graceful pointe solo.

Each painting revisited in "Tutu" is a colorful surprise where choreographic codes are playfully mocked without taboo. There’s a hip-hop "Swan Lake," a dainty Haka, a clumsy "Dirty Dancing," and an even clumsier "Dancing with the Stars."No icon is untouchable for the Chicos Mambo in this visual maelstrom of laughter and dance.

Get ready to laugh out loud as the Chicos Mambo men don tutu trousers while parodying Swan Lake, Dirty Dancing, and gender stereotypes.

TUTU by Chicos Mambo

"Circle", is an analogy between the modern human being, living in mass cities, and the phenomenon of the circle of death -  a phenomenon observed in nature with ants who are separated from the main foraging party and lose the pheromone track. They begin to follow one another, forming a continuously rotating circle, ominously known as a "death spiral."

Shot in Mexico City by director Phillip Kaminiak, this vibrant and impressive city is a protagonist, symbolizing a life in endless high-speed movement and the humans who are dedicating their lives to endless movement, and self-exhaustion in a modern capitalistic-based world.

This short film was part of a previous San Francisco Dance Film Festival season. Tune in this October to see select films from the 2024 festival.

This dance short, shot in Mexico City, uses circles as a poignant analogy for the life of modern human beings and their dedication to endless movement in a capitalistic world. 

Circle

Based on the true story of legendary ballerina, Marie Taglioni - the first woman to go “en pointe.”  As the legend goes, after she retired, her pointe shoes were bought by a fan, then cooked at a lavish dinner party and served to 35 guests. It is a surreal, comical romp through the party evening.

Created in partnership with the English National Ballet and featuring 20 of their dancers alongside a principal cast of actors and dancers, including Alessandra Ferri and Antonia Franceschi, ''An Evening with Taglioni'' is a fantastically fun short independently produced with support from Arts Council England.

This short film was part of a past San Francisco Dance Film Festival season. Tune in this October to see select films from the 2024 festival. 

Based on the true story of ballerina Marie Taglioni whose point shoes were bought by a fan, then cooked at a lavish dinner party and served to 35 guests. This short is a romp through the party.

An Evening with Taglioni

This short piece, choreographed by Silas Farley for Washington Ballet Dancer Gian Carlo Perez, captures the impressive beauty of the U.S Capital’s great Lincoln Memorial.

This co-commission from The Washington Ballet and Marquee TV is set to an outstanding archival recording of Copland’s Fanfare For The Common Man, recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Copland himself.

Watch Choreographer Silas Farley’s moving dance piece set to Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for The Common Man.

Fanfare for the Common Man

Discover the world of Odissi at the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble’s one-of-a-kind dance village.

The incredible ten-acre dance campus is located near Bangalore, India. There, women and girls come from all over to study contemporary Odissi, a form of Indian Classical Dance that uses symbolic theatrical dance movements to convey a spiritual story. 

In this documentary-style dance piece, the company's Artistic Director, Surupa Sen, speaks about the ancient dance style and shows off the school's talented pupils. This piece was part of Fall For Dance North's 2022 festival.

Discover the world of contemporary Odissi at the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble’s one-of-a-kind dance village.

Lalita Lavanga

Bold, unpredictable, and innovative. Multi-award-winning choreographer Alexander Ekman's Hammer is a humorous critique of our image-obsessed world. 

A harmonious commune of altruistic individuals begins to dissolve as they adopt a more modern life. With all eyes on them, the community becomes gradually more individualistic and egotistical. Ekman shines a light on the skewed values of contemporary society with talented dancers of the GöteborgsOperans Danskompani. Hammer is a bold testament to Ekman's creative powers.  

Bold, unpredictable, and innovative. Multi-award-winning choreographer Alexander Ekman's Hammer is a humorous critique of our image-obsessed world. 

Alexander Ekman: Hammer

Renowned hip-hop choreographer Mourad Merzouki blends the vibrant rhythms of the Italian tarantella, the baroque music of Vivaldi, and the electronic sounds of Grégoire Durrande in this extraordinary musical collaboration with the musicians of the Concert de l'Hostel Dieu. 

In Folia, hip-hop dance intertwines with a unique musical soundscape. Weaving in elements of contemporary dance, classical ballet, electronic music, and the mesmerizing movements of a whirling dervish, Merzouki creates a utopian mosaic of movement and music, bridging the gap between tradition and modernity. 


Choreographer Mourad Merzouki explores diverse musical worlds in collaboration with the musicians of the Concert de l'hostel Dieu. 

Folia: Mourad Merzouki

Seven men celebrate the power of unity in a dynamic and acrobatic dance performance fueled by an unrelenting rhythm. This obsessive beat ignites their movements, infusing their bodies with boundless energy.

Choreographed by Fouad Boussouf, Näss (meaning "people" in Arabic) bridges the gap between the profane and the sacred, blending the vibrant, urban essence of hip hop with its deeply ritualistic and spiritual roots. Boussouf's work, influenced by his Moroccan heritage, explores the tension between modernity and enduring traditions.

The performance pays homage to the 1970s group Nass el Ghiwane (Behemian People), known for popularizing Gnawa culture and inspiring Moroccan rap with their poetic, rebellious lyrics. Näss weaves together past and present, creating a powerful dance tribute that honors the legacy of these cultural pioneers.

Choreographer Fouad Boussouf brings together seven dancers for an acrobatic dance tribute to popular Moroccan 70s group, Nass el Ghiwane.

Näss: Fouad Boussouf

Three incredible performances in a range of styles from ballet to hip-hop to tap. Together for the first time, Tiler Peck, Lil Buck, Sierra Boggess, Brooklyn Mack, and the Syncopated Ladies take the stage in works by Chloe Arnold and Jennifer Weber, and a world premiere from Christopher Wheeldon.

Three incredible performances in a range of styles from ballet to hip-hop to tap.

A New Stage: Curated by Tiler Peck

Recommendations

The history of contemporary dance is a story of rule-breaking rebels, bold moves, and fearless creativity. But how did it all begin? 

Cynthia Dragoni from ''The Dance Lens,'' takes us through a brief and fascinating history of contemporary dance. From its rebellious roots at the turn of the century to its present-day popularity, learn how trailblazers like Isadora Duncan and Merce Cunningham broke conventions and set the stage for daring choreographers to take the art form to the next level. See how choreographers like Crystal Pite and Akram Khan fuse dance styles to create mind-bending new creations, and discover the secret to the genre's popularity and longevity - embracing innovation. This is a short history of Contemporary Dance. 

Cynthia Dragoni from ''The Dance Lens,'' takes us through a brief and fascinating history of contemporary dance, from its rebellious roots at the turn of the century to its present-day popularity.

A Short History of Contemporary Dance

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