Photos By: Various Photographers| Designed By: Cora Barnes
The 2026 World Arts West Dance Festival is a three-weekend festival that showcases culture, wisdom, beauty, and activism through global dance and music, with a theme this year of “Legacy of Liberation.”
World Arts West is proud to announce the return of our annual Dance Festival!
The Festival will be presented over three weekends in July, August and September. This year our Festival theme is “Legacy of Liberation!”
We are exploring the themes of Legacy, Empowerment and Belonging leading up to our 50th Anniversary in 2028.
Weekend One begins with films that explore how creating films about dance + telling our own stories add to the cultural record, explore dance in a new medium, and innovate a legacy of liberation.
We will be joined by Delina Patrice Brooks of Delina Dream Productions who created a four part documentary, Bare Soles Bare Soul, in partnership with Clenched Fist Productions and OLU8 Films. We will also view three short films by Ishami Dance Company: Ancestor Song, Because You're a Woman, and Teele Dharo. Ishami Dance Co-founder Ishika Seth, will join our question and answer session for the films as well.
Finally, World Arts West will share a short compilation of archival footage highlighting recently digitized as part of our Multicultural Archiving Project (MAP).
The Festival will be presented over three weekends in July, August and September. This year our Festival theme is “Legacy of Liberation!”
We are exploring the themes of Legacy, Empowerment and Belonging leading up to our 50th Anniversary in 2028.
Weekend One begins with films that explore how creating films about dance + telling our own stories add to the cultural record, explore dance in a new medium, and innovate a legacy of liberation.
We will be joined by Delina Patrice Brooks of Delina Dream Productions who created a four part documentary, Bare Soles Bare Soul, in partnership with Clenched Fist Productions and OLU8 Films. We will also view three short films by Ishami Dance Company: Ancestor Song, Because You're a Woman, and Teele Dharo. Ishami Dance Co-founder Ishika Seth, will join our question and answer session for the films as well.
Finally, World Arts West will share a short compilation of archival footage highlighting recently digitized as part of our Multicultural Archiving Project (MAP).
(Delina Brooks, Photo courtesy of Artist)
Weekend Two honors five legacy artists in the World Arts West community: Deborah Vaughn (Dimensions Dance Theater), Mythili Kumar (Abhinaya Dance Company of San José), Naomi Diouf (Diamano Coura West African Dance Company) and Roy & PJ Hirabayashi (San Jose Taiko).
These esteemed elders will join us at the Koret Auditorium inside the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library for an afternoon of discussion and memories moderated by World Arts West CEO, Dr. Anne Huang and Artistic Director of Los Lupenos de San José, Samuel Cortez.
Join us to celebrate and document the legacies of these foundational Bay Area dance legends.
There will be reception following the panel discussion in the Latino/Hispanic Community Room.
These esteemed elders will join us at the Koret Auditorium inside the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library for an afternoon of discussion and memories moderated by World Arts West CEO, Dr. Anne Huang and Artistic Director of Los Lupenos de San José, Samuel Cortez.
Join us to celebrate and document the legacies of these foundational Bay Area dance legends.
There will be reception following the panel discussion in the Latino/Hispanic Community Room.
(Roy & PJ Hirabayashi of San Jose Taiko, Photo courtesy of Artists)
Weekend #3 will have global dance and music with local artists representing cultures from around the world!
Join us for a FREE day of performances in the Presidio park to celebrate diverse communities through the art of dance.
Live dance performances by Academy of Danse Libre, Los Lupeños, Amazed by Grace and Uzumaru.
Tainah Damasceno and LaKiesha Golden will lead us in community Brazilian and Line dances for the whole family to join!
Enjoy fun interactive demos with festival artists, and grab a bite at one of the Presidio Pop Up’s yummy multicultural food trucks.
This public event will be recorded via photography and videography and used for future promotional materials, grant applications, and archival purposes.
Join us for a FREE day of performances in the Presidio park to celebrate diverse communities through the art of dance.
Live dance performances by Academy of Danse Libre, Los Lupeños, Amazed by Grace and Uzumaru.
Tainah Damasceno and LaKiesha Golden will lead us in community Brazilian and Line dances for the whole family to join!
Enjoy fun interactive demos with festival artists, and grab a bite at one of the Presidio Pop Up’s yummy multicultural food trucks.
This public event will be recorded via photography and videography and used for future promotional materials, grant applications, and archival purposes.
(Los Lupenos de San Jose, Photo by RJ Muna)