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About us
African and African-American Performing Arts Coalition
A San Francisco based, non-profit organization, AAAPAC was founded in 1995 by a collective of
artists who were looking to create better performance opportunities for African and African
American performing artists as well as produce shows that reflect the aesthetic and cultural
representation of the African and African American experience. As AAAPAC’s executive director,
Laura Elaine Ellis has co-produced successful events such as the Labor of Love Dance Series, The
Quilt Project: Pieces of Me and the Black Choreographers Festival:Here & Now.
K*STAR*PRODUCTIONS
Formed in October 1996 by Director, Kendra Kimbrough Barnes K*STAR*PRODUCTIONS serves
as a performing arts presenting organization for the Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (KKDE) and
the co-presenter of the Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now. Our goal is to make culture
exchange experiences accessible to the community at large with a focus on African-American
constituents. This goal is attained by forming alliances, traveling, producing concerts & master
classes, hosting public symposiums, and providing professional development information to new
forming dance companies.
The Black Choreographers Festival MISSION STATEMENT
The Black Choreographers Festival: Here and Now strives to serve the community through
providing a forum to increase the visibility of African American dance. Understanding the impact
and importance of the African and African American experience in dance, this project aims to
recognize the ingenuity and uniqueness of African and African American Choreographers. It is a
project integral to the Bay Area arts community presenting local and national artists in a series
comprised of contemporary and traditional concerts, showcases, mentoring, educational programs,
community partnerships, symposia and archival documentation. We endeavor to foster a new
generation of supporters ensuring the longevity of both established and emerging artists
We know that it takes community partnerships and support in order for projects like the Black
Choreographers Festival: Here & Now to be successful. We are enthusiastic about bringing a Black
Choreographers Festival to the Bay Area and excited about the opportunity to build a consortium of
arts organizations and institutions to assist in presenting this event.
We extend our appreciation to the following organizations, directors and artists – dedicated
leaders in the performing arts community – all. Please visit their sites to learn more about them
and the wonderful programs they offer to the Bay Area.
Arts Centers and Theaters
Malonga Casquelord Center for the Arts
ODC Theater
Project Artaud Theater
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Dance Studios & Community Arts Organizations
Dance Mission
SF Dance Center
Shawl-Anderson Dance Center
World Arts West
SF Black Film Festival
Schools, Colleges and Universities
San Francisco State University
Stanford University - Committee on Black Performing Arts
The Athenian School
Laney College
Cal-State University @ Hayward
Independent Artists
Kimara Dixon – photographer -kimara@earthlink.net
Angelina DeAntonis - Ocelot Clothing
Joan Lazarus
Advisory Committee
Regina Calloway
Kim Fowler
Safiyahya Jiroh
Angela Johnson
Joan Lazarus
Ave Montague
Robert Moses
Deborah Vaughan
Monetta White
Leslie Wilkinson
Festival Planning Committee
Althea Anderson
Nate Barnes
Regina Calloway
Michael Dabney
Shelley Davis
clairemonica Dixon
Colette Eloi
Rehena Gueye
Jessica Hebert
Tasha Henneman
Nichelle Kitt
Myrtha Muse
Monique Perry
Valrie Sanders
Lalene Shepherd
Amara Tabor Smith
African and African-American Performing Arts Coalition
A San Francisco based, non-profit organization, AAAPAC was founded in 1995 by a collective of
artists who were looking to create better performance opportunities for African and African
American performing artists as well as produce shows that reflect the aesthetic and cultural
representation of the African and African American experience. As AAAPAC’s executive director,
Laura Elaine Ellis has co-produced successful events such as the Labor of Love Dance Series, The
Quilt Project: Pieces of Me and the Black Choreographers Festival:Here & Now.
K*STAR*PRODUCTIONS
Formed in October 1996 by Director, Kendra Kimbrough Barnes K*STAR*PRODUCTIONS serves
as a performing arts presenting organization for the Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (KKDE) and
the co-presenter of the Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now. Our goal is to make culture
exchange experiences accessible to the community at large with a focus on African-American
constituents. This goal is attained by forming alliances, traveling, producing concerts & master
classes, hosting public symposiums, and providing professional development information to new
forming dance companies.
The Black Choreographers Festival MISSION STATEMENT
The Black Choreographers Festival: Here and Now strives to serve the community through
providing a forum to increase the visibility of African American dance. Understanding the impact
and importance of the African and African American experience in dance, this project aims to
recognize the ingenuity and uniqueness of African and African American Choreographers. It is a
project integral to the Bay Area arts community presenting local and national artists in a series
comprised of contemporary and traditional concerts, showcases, mentoring, educational programs,
community partnerships, symposia and archival documentation. We endeavor to foster a new
generation of supporters ensuring the longevity of both established and emerging artists
We know that it takes community partnerships and support in order for projects like the Black
Choreographers Festival: Here & Now to be successful. We are enthusiastic about bringing a Black
Choreographers Festival to the Bay Area and excited about the opportunity to build a consortium of
arts organizations and institutions to assist in presenting this event.
We extend our appreciation to the following organizations, directors and artists – dedicated
leaders in the performing arts community – all. Please visit their sites to learn more about them
and the wonderful programs they offer to the Bay Area.
Arts Centers and Theaters
Malonga Casquelord Center for the Arts
ODC Theater
Project Artaud Theater
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Dance Studios & Community Arts Organizations
Dance Mission
SF Dance Center
Shawl-Anderson Dance Center
World Arts West
SF Black Film Festival
Schools, Colleges and Universities
San Francisco State University
Stanford University - Committee on Black Performing Arts
The Athenian School
Laney College
Cal-State University @ Hayward
Independent Artists
Kimara Dixon – photographer -kimara@earthlink.net
Angelina DeAntonis - Ocelot Clothing
Joan Lazarus
Advisory Committee
Regina Calloway
Kim Fowler
Safiyahya Jiroh
Angela Johnson
Joan Lazarus
Ave Montague
Robert Moses
Deborah Vaughan
Monetta White
Leslie Wilkinson
Festival Planning Committee
Althea Anderson
Nate Barnes
Regina Calloway
Michael Dabney
Shelley Davis
clairemonica Dixon
Colette Eloi
Rehena Gueye
Jessica Hebert
Tasha Henneman
Nichelle Kitt
Myrtha Muse
Monique Perry
Valrie Sanders
Lalene Shepherd
Amara Tabor Smith
h e r e . . . . a n d n o w
h e r e . . . . a n d n o w
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BLACK
CHOREOGRAPHERS
FESTIVAL
CHOREOGRAPHERS
FESTIVAL