​

BCF – Here & Now is turning 20!

The Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in 2025!

 

As we embark on our 20th year – we are looking to expand the way we present our programming, support artists, and nurture our community partnerships. 

 

We are grateful to the support of the SFAC for their consistent and generous support, honoring AAAPAC and the Black Choreographers Festival with the prestigious Dream Keeper Initiative funding to support our vision for our 20th Anniversary season.

 

BCF 20 years & beyond:

SANKOFA: Looking Back – Vision Forward: the Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now (BCF) has a predecessor, Black Choreographers Moving Toward the 21st Century (BCM) founded by Dr. Halifu Osumare.   We envision partnering with a museum to curate an exhibit that brings this important Black dance history of San Francisco to the public.  The artistic and community-centered lineage of BCM (1988 – 1995) to BCF (2005 – 2025+) - featuring archival materials that educate and hold the narratives of these two iconic SF festivals.  

 

BCF Mentoring & Presenting Programs:

Deepening our impact by expanding programs that call for artists and that commission new works, we have cultivated over the last 19 years programs that outreach to Black choreographers and provide creative support and nurturing platforms for dynamic art-making. 

 

We look to do more as we continue to reconnect with artists, post pandemic, and to our audiences that are returning to live performance.  AAAPAC’s core programs include:

 

Nextwave Choreographers Showcase:  Emerging to mid-career artists, particularly choreographers new to BCF, to present new works or reworks; and New Voices/New Works: provides a platform for artistic risk – taking and exploration for emerging to established artists.

 

Artist Mentoring Program (AMP): 3 emerging to mid-career artists, in a creative cohort, are mentored by 3 established artists from the BCF roster. BCF In Studio – our residency program supports this art-making project.  Completed works are presented in the Nextwave Showcase and/or New Voices/New Works.

 

BCF In Studio: a residency program in partnership w/ Dance Mission Theater, that sponsors 20 hrs of studio time for choreographers to create new works. BCF in Studio supports AMP and New Voices/New Works.

 

BEYOND: Vision forward for BCF 2026!

BCF Tours

We are in the midst of creating a new component for BCF next year- BCF TOURS - spreading our Festival series of performances, master classes, artist opportunities beyond the Bay Area!

 

AAAPAC and K*Star*Productions have always been fluid about the approach to programming - cultivating the festival platforms each year - doing what is best to support choreographers and community…keeping the vision forward. 

 

​