San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest Announces Program

For one spectacular weekend, Micaya presents the SF International Hip Hop DanceFest (SFIHHDF), featuring groundbreaking hip-hop performances from 17 dance companies from around the globe.

This year the festival welcomes International Artists from London, Amsterdam, Singapore, Mexico City, and Spain. Stateside, SFIHDDF hosts dancers from Houston, Denver, Nashville, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and locally from Redwood City, Oakland, and San Francisco. More than 100 individuals will take the stage at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre mixing skillfulness with artistry and storytelling. Under the umbrella of hip hop, SFIHHDF showcases work that draws variously from b-boying, freestyle, jazz, modern, mime, locking, tap, house, popping and more.

"The submissions I received this year were outstanding," said Artistic Director Micaya. "There are so many skilled dancers and choreographers out there creating powerful works of art. We had to turn nearly 100 groups away. I tried to pick the most compelling works - pieces that inspired me and lifted me up. I hope our audience feels the same way."

The festival also includes a VIP/Performer Party featuring rapper Lil B and strutter/popper/mime Agatron, after the show on Saturday, November 18, at 10pm. And following the Sunday matinee at 2pm, the youth company New Style Motherlode Youth welcomes kids onstage for the SFIHHDF Kids Freestyle Circle. On November 14, 16, 18 and 21 the festival will host master classes by Birdgang Dance Company, Iron Skulls, and ScRach MARCs. More details at www.sfhiphopdancefest.com.

Established in 1999 by Micaya, The San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest has earned an international reputation as one of the most prestigious presenters of hip-hop dance. The SFIHHDF is the first ever festival dedicated to honoring the artistry and diversity of hip-hop dance forms in a non-competitive environment. The SFIHHDF creates a convergence of global phenomena by presenting groundbreaking performances from professional dance companies from all over the globe. 2017 marks the 19th year for the SFIHHDF; presenting inspiring, electrifying and thought provoking works of art through hip hop dance forms.

PROGRAM A Medea Sirkas (San Francisco, CA) "Rise of Robots" Loyalty Dance Team (Nashville, TN) "Suicide Squad" Nasty Ray (Bay Area) "Guardian of Hip Hop" New Style Motherlode (Oakland, CA) "Polka Dots" Ghetto Funk Collective (Amsterdam) "Africano" ScRach MarcS (Singapore) "Outer Ego" The Tribe (Bay Area) "The BassHead'z Tribe" Iron Skulls Co (Barcelona, Spain) "Sinestesia" BirdGang Dance Company (London, UK) "The Network" Reggie TapMan Myers (Philadelphia) "Realness of Speech" Sound of Soul (Mexico City) "Hey Pachuco" PROGRAM B Loyalty Dance Team (Nashville, TN) "101 Dalmations" Epic Footprint (Redwood City, CA) "Back II Life" Ghetto Funk Collective (Amsterdam) "Fela Tribute" ScRach MarcS (Singapore ) "Connection" Loose Change (San Francisco, CA) "Lotus" Iron Skulls Co (Barcelona, Spain) "KINTSUGI" Kujo (Los Angeles, CA) "The Small Change of Silence" Sound of Soul (Mexico City) "The Tribe" The Nasty Kidz (Denver, CO) "DNA" SoulForce Dance Company (San Francisco, CA) "Strings" HIStory Dance Co. (Houston,TX) "American Me"

VIP After Party featuring Agatron and Lil B, hosted bar on November 18, 2017 Kids Freestyle Circle after the 2pm matinee on November 19, 2017.