Waterfront Park Launch Fest
Presented by West End Arts District, Rhythmix Cultural Works and the City of Alameda, this free arts fest celebrated the opening of the new Waterfront Park in the Alameda Point Waterfront District. This event brought together WEAD’s 2nd Animate Dance Festival and Rhythmix’s Island City Waterways Art Walk into one collaborative event. The two organizations curated an eclectic and notable array of Bay Area dance organizations and musical groups, as well as the “mini Aeolian Day’ exhibit of musical wind sculptures by Thingamajigs.
SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE
1:30pm
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
ANIMATE ALAMEDA PROGRAM
2pm - 5pm
THINGAMAJIGS - AEOLIAN DAY
ARPD GAMES & HULA HOOPS
2pm | 3:20pm
MAZE DAIKO
13TH FLOOR
2:20pm | 3:40pm
CROSSPULSE PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
2:40pm | 4:20pm
AXIS DANCE COMPANY
3pm | 4:40pm
FOG BEAST
4pm
COLLEGE OF ALAMEDA
“Very touched by performances and level of artistry, inspires me to get involved with local art programs”
Dei, WPLF attendee
“Encourages the community to embrace diversity among us, and better understand the past for a brighter future”
Yan, WPLF attendee
“It was really meaningful for us to come out of the pandemic into this kind of production, it felt very community forward and a true celebration of space and place. It was also an important affirmation of our work, and inspires momentum for whatever it is that we do next.“
Fog Beast co-artistic Director, Melecio Estrella ,WPLF artist
Featured Artists:
Led by Artistic Director Nadia Adame, AXIS Dance Company is one of the nation’s most acclaimed ensembles of disabled and non-disabled performers. The Oakland, CA based company has toured to over 100 cities in the US, Israel-Palestine, UK, Europe, United Arab Emirates and Russia, and has received nine Isadora Duncan Dance Awards. AXIS continues to commission new works from a host of renowned international choreographers and composers.
Performance sponsored by Alameda Municipal Power
CROSSPULSE PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
Part international drill team, part polycultural rhythm section, the Crosspulse Percussion Ensemble brings together synchronized movement, world drumming, lush vocals and innovative body music. Each of the five ensemble members bring their own deep traditions to the floor, to mix and mingle, creating a unique intercultural experience!
Fog Beast is a dance based live art organization directed by Melecio Estrella and Andrew Ward. They present the second iteration of These Lines Are Living. An inter-generational movement at the shifting shore, this project unfolds at an intersection of landscape, climate science, community practice, live music and dance. This performance includes a special collaboration with the Shawl Anderson Youth Ensemble.
Featuring an ensemble of highly skilled performers adept at acting, dance, and acrobatics, 13th Floor Theater represent the next generation of high-end traveling interactive theater. Founded in 2012 by Artistic Director Jenny McAllister, their fantastical stories tumble off the stage to inhabit any environment from swimming pools to bars, ballrooms, and Victorian mansions. 13th Floor will perform an excerpt of "Uprooted," Rhythmix Cultural Works' 2022 Island City Waterways performance.
Maze Daiko blends global inspiration with a wide range of percussion to create contemporary interpretations for taiko. This dynamic ensemble layers intricate rhythms and fills the stage with vitality and energetic choreography. Maze Daiko performs original compositions influenced by world cultures including Japan, Africa and Cuba with the physical elegance and vibrant sounds of taiko. The group’s name is derived from the Japanese word for "mix” (mazeru) and taiko (daiko) is the Japanese word for "drum." In collaboration with Ed Holmes, the ensemble will preview “The Doolittle Raid” from their upcoming Island City Waterways performance at Alameda Point.
Thingamajigs is a genre-crossing arts organization that promotes, presents and performs music created with made and found materials or alternate tuning systems. The Aeolian Installation showcases a creative collaboration of art, music, and science through an exhibition of innovative sound sculptures. Thingamajigs signature Aeolian Day is a free community festival where artists, musicians, sound makers, children, families, and educators come together to celebrate the sound of the wind.
Curated by THINGAMAJIGS
Sponsored by Rotary Club of Alameda
Dance at College of Alameda is a pursuit of professional training in modern dance and choreography for students of all ages. We provide training in ballet and modern techniques for dance students, and also offer physical challenges for non-dancers who want to stay fit and healthy. We help students develop cross-cultural understanding through the arts by creating dances from different cultures such as: Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Latino, and others.
Animate brings together the artistic talents of a number of groups of young performers and composers to create a unique performance for Animate Dance Festival. Students from the Sound Lab class at Bay Area Music Project at Maya Lin Elementary school have composed the score for this original piece which will be performed by students from Encinal High School, and Alameda High School.
EVE, LOGAN, AND THE HOOP!
Eve and Logan Deley will be on site with their dazzling array of Hula Hoops. Feel like getting with the groove, trying a new skill or showing off your moves. Grab a hoop and get those hips swinging.
