Reviews | Jen Norris Dance Rev

Review: CAL Performances presents common ground[s] & The Rite of Spring, February 16-18, 2024 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley, CA

Jen Norris

Feb 196 min read

Review: CAL Performances presents common ground[s] & The Rite of Spring, February 16-18, 2024 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley, CA

It’s Sunday, February 18, 2024, Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall (2,000 seats) is packed to the gills for the final of three performances....

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Review: ODC/Dance Presents: Rachael Lincoln and Leslie Seiters Long Playing, ODC Theater, San Francisco February 16 – 18.

Jen Norris

Feb 185 min read

Review: ODC/Dance Presents: Rachael Lincoln and Leslie Seiters Long Playing, ODC Theater, San Francisco February 16 – 18.

The ODC Theater looks like it is still in rehearsal mode. Bright fluorescent Post-it notes form a patchwork design on the rear...

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Review: KH Fresh Festival presents enNingúnlugar’s ‘Cinética,’ February 9-10, 2024 at Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco

Jen Norris

Feb 123 min read

Review: KH Fresh Festival presents enNingúnlugar’s ‘Cinética,’ February 9-10, 2024 at Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco

International exchange, including multiple points of artistic engagement, is essential to the Kathleen Hermesdorf Fresh Festival...

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Review: KH Fresh Festival presents ‘forever failing’ (workinprogress#1), February 9-10, 2024 at Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco

Jen Norris

Feb 123 min read

Review: KH Fresh Festival presents ‘forever failing’ (workinprogress#1), February 9-10, 2024 at Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco

The KH Fresh Festival starts off with a bang with forever failing (work-in-progress #1) created and performed by Clarissa Rivera Dyas and...

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Review: “Grief Wrote Me a Letter” live performance & “Panels” film premiere, produced by Tracey Lindsay Chan, Great Star Theater, February 9, 2024

Jen Norris

Feb 106 min read

Review: “Grief Wrote Me a Letter” live performance & “Panels” film premiere, produced by Tracey Lindsay Chan, Great Star Theater, February 9, 2024

Per the Chinese calendar, it is New Year’s Eve. San Francisco’s Chinatown is cacophonous with explosions celebrating the passing from the...

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Review: The Straw Dogs, The Stories of the People Next to Us, produced by & presented at SHACK15, January 31, 2024

Jen Norris

Feb 45 min read

Review: The Straw Dogs, The Stories of the People Next to Us, produced by & presented at SHACK15, January 31, 2024

The Stories of the People Next to Us is a project of The Straw Dogs, a collective of Bay Area dance makers comprised of Mauelito Biag,...

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Review: New Ballet presents Fast Forward, Hammer Theatre, San Jose State University, February 2, 2024

Jen Norris

Feb 36 min read

Review: New Ballet presents Fast Forward, Hammer Theatre, San Jose State University, February 2, 2024

New Ballet brings its 7th annual presentation of new works, Fast Forward, to the Hammer Theatre at San Jose State University for one...

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Review: San Francisco Ballet presents Aszure Barton's 'Mere Mortals' War Memorial Opera House, January 26 - Feb 1, 2024

Jen Norris

Jan 286 min read

Review: San Francisco Ballet presents Aszure Barton's 'Mere Mortals' War Memorial Opera House, January 26 - Feb 1, 2024

A raucous standing ovation greets the world premiere of San Francisco Ballet (SFB) and choreographer Aszure Barton’s Mere Mortals on...

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Review: San Francisco Ballet, 2024 Opening Night Gala, War Memorial Opera House, January 24, 2024

Jen Norris

Jan 255 min read

Review: San Francisco Ballet, 2024 Opening Night Gala, War Memorial Opera House, January 24, 2024

“The future of ballet begins now”, declared San Francisco Ballet’s (SFB) new Artistic Director, Tamara Rojo, during her front of curtain...

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Review: Amy Seiwert’s Imagery presents ‘Blooming Flowers and the Full Moon’ at the Joe Goode Annex, San Francisco January 19-21, 2024

Jen Norris

Jan 224 min read

Review: Amy Seiwert’s Imagery presents ‘Blooming Flowers and the Full Moon’ at the Joe Goode Annex, San Francisco January 19-21, 2024

What would you do for love? How does a connection to one true love compare to the unconditional love of parents, children and siblings?...

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Review: LYRA a collaboration of Post:Ballet, The Living Earth Show and film maker Benjamin Tarquin presented by Stanford Live in The Studio, January 18 -20, 2024

Jen Norris

Jan 215 min read

Review: LYRA a collaboration of Post:Ballet, The Living Earth Show and film maker Benjamin Tarquin presented by Stanford Live in The Studio, January 18 -20, 2024

Pandemic venue closures and isolation protocols forced us all to change plans, but the most creative among us turned prohibitions into...

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Review: Peninsula Lively Arts presents ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ Dec 16-17, 2023, Fox Theater, Redwood Ci

Jen Norris

Dec 18, 20235 min read

Review: Peninsula Lively Arts presents ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ Dec 16-17, 2023, Fox Theater, Redwood Ci

Nutcracker productions abound each holiday season. Families seeking entertainment often choose a classical ballet production of “The...

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Review: Circus Bella presents ‘Kaleidoscope’ Dec 15-31, 2023, The Crossing at East Cut San Francisco

Jen Norris

Dec 16, 20235 min read

Review: Circus Bella presents ‘Kaleidoscope’ Dec 15-31, 2023, The Crossing at East Cut San Francisco

San Francisco’s own homegrown circus, Circus Bella has pitched a big top tent downtown this December. Family friendly fare has never...

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Review: RAWdance’s 'Loving Still', Dec 8-10, 2023, 836M Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Jen Norris

Dec 9, 20235 min read

Review: RAWdance’s 'Loving Still', Dec 8-10, 2023, 836M Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Loving relationships between same-gender people have always existed, but bringing them out into the open has taken time. Inspired by...

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Review: Urban Bush Women presents Hair & Other Stories Dec 1-3, 2023, Zellerbach Playhouse, Berkeley

Jen Norris

Dec 5, 20235 min read

Review: Urban Bush Women presents Hair & Other Stories Dec 1-3, 2023, Zellerbach Playhouse, Berkeley

Urban Bush Women (UBW) is celebrating its 40th Anniversary with a visit to CAL Performances Zellerbach Playhouse, on the UC Berkeley...

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Review: Stanford Live presents Akram Khan’s Jungle Book reimagined, Dec 2 & 3, 2023, Stanford, CA

Jen Norris

Dec 3, 20235 min read

Review: Stanford Live presents Akram Khan’s Jungle Book reimagined, Dec 2 & 3, 2023, Stanford, CA

It’s 2029, climate change has taken its toll. Rain falls incessantly. London is permanently flooded, unhabitable but for the animals,...

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Review: CALI & CO dance and The Welcome Matt presents PERFECT. RESPONSE. Nov. 30 – Dec 2, Joe Goode

Jen Norris

Dec 1, 20235 min read

Review: CALI & CO dance and The Welcome Matt presents PERFECT. RESPONSE. Nov. 30 – Dec 2, Joe Goode

Concert dance performance comes with heavy expectations of performative perfection: dancers, with ideal bodies and otherworldly...

214 views0 comments

Review: Deborah Slater Dance Theater presents In the Absence of Presence, Dance Mission, Nov 10-12

Jen Norris

Nov 18, 20236 min read

Review: Deborah Slater Dance Theater presents In the Absence of Presence, Dance Mission, Nov 10-12

Deborah Slater Dance Theater’s (DSDT) In the Absence of Prescence, a multidisciplinary collaboration, pairs many creative voices and...

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Review: Urban Jazz Dance Co presents GentriDeafcation, Z Space, San Francisco November 10-12, 2023

Jen Norris

Nov 15, 20235 min read

Review: Urban Jazz Dance Co presents GentriDeafcation, Z Space, San Francisco November 10-12, 2023

Urban Jazz Dance Company’s (UJDC) is presenting “GentriDeafcation: Echoes of Houselessness in the Bay,” at Z-Space November 10-12. Each...

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Review: Oceánica Ballet presents Sleepy Hollow & Lupita, ODC Theater, San Francisco Nov. 10-12, 23

Jen Norris

Nov 13, 20235 min read

Review: Oceánica Ballet presents Sleepy Hollow & Lupita, ODC Theater, San Francisco Nov. 10-12, 23

For their first performances in a “real” theater, Oceánica Ballet is presenting a family-friendly ballet double-feature with an autumnal...

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