Remember that high-flying dance troupe that performed on the facade of UC Hastings Law School last spring? Well, they're getting ready to debut their final, polished performance this summer, and are inviting anyone invested in the ever-changing Tenderloin and Mid-Market districts to help design the canvas on which their dancers will perform.
The project, called #SFPublicCanvas, is a partnership between BANDALOOP the Oakland-based, internationally-known vertical dance troupe; Illuminate The Arts, the masterminds behind the Bay Lights display; the full-service creative agency Madrone Studios, and The Village Impacts, the nonprofit arm of the private events venue at 969 Market St.
Together, these organizations aim to develop a multimedia-enhanced live performance where dancers — suspended from 333 Golden Gate Ave. — perform an interpretive dance that embodies the thoughts, concerns and dreams of people who are experiencing the vast changes sweeping through the historic Tenderloin and Mid-Market districts. Here's a glimpse at their exploratory rehearsal in April:
To garner more perspectives and visuals to use in the final piece, the organizers have launched a competition — with cash prizes. To participate, simply answer the question,"How can we build a future for the Mid-Market/Tenderloin neighborhood that addresses the issues facing the area today?" using any artistic medium. Answers can be submitted to the project to sfpubliccanvas AT gmail DOT com, or via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #SFPublicCanvas through Feb. 29.
After the deadline, a panel will award the best photo, video and written piece $300 each, and 20 finalists will compete in a public vote for the "People’s Choice" award. All of the chosen finalists will be featured in a one-night only exhibition at The Village.
Additionally, a variety of the submissions will be used in an animated video that will be projected onto 333 Golden Gate Ave. as the canvas for the BANDALOOP dancers' final performance, scheduled for June 16-19 of this year.
In preparation for last year's rehearsals, Amelia Rudolph, founder and artistic director of BANDALOOP, told Hoodline that she had been working on the choreography for this performance since July 2014 and themes of trust, struggle, “being held by others” and technology were already being pulled into their movements, based on her own observations of life in Mid-Market. While she admitted that securing submissions had been a struggle, she was pleased with what they were receiving. "People are finding the beauty that is there,” she said.
For more details on #SFPublicCanvas, check out the project's website. You can also check out the competition, view more videos of last year's rehearsal and keep up with the latest news by searching #SFPublicCanvas on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
