Dancers as creators, researchers, and change agents have been at the core of Luna’s work since inception. Socially-engaged art inquiry at Luna is a process that flows through all programming for dancemakers of all ages. Young artists have approached dancemaking based on inquiry and their teachers, artists themselves, are encouraged to dive into observation, reflection, critical self-reflection, and research as part of their daily work. Guest artists share their artistic investigations through a variety of community activities.
30 Points of View
Illuminating and uplifting the stories and methodologies of dance artists, educators, cultural strategists and activists who address systemic change and activate community transformation through their creative dance practices.
Luna will resume curation of this annual series of socially-engaged art-making in 2024. Intended for audiences of all ages, these works-in-process presentations offer a rare peek into the art-making process and a unique opportunity to engage the artists about their creations in cultural contexts. Often artists choose to invite the audience to the stage for in-the-moment research investigation. Such acts expand the notion of “What is dance?” and “How do choreographers work?”
The history of this series began with early community showcases and expanding Question & Answer sessions until 20 Points of View launched in 2012 as a way to provide space and time (30 minutes) for artists to share any aspect of their works-in-progress with an audience of school children, studio lab students, parents, teachers, artists, and the Berkeley community at large. 20 POV became 25 POV in 2017 and was suspended during COVID to resume as 30 POV as we open in our new space in 2024.
Over the years, artists such as Byb Chanel Bibene, Antoine Hunter, Anne Bluethenthal, Kendra Kimbrough Barnes, Claudine Naganuma, Deborah Slater, Shinichi Iova-Koga, Randee Paufve, Navarette & Kajiyama, Cherie Hill, Janet Collard, Amelia Uzategui Bonilla, Nina Haft, Christy Funsch, Vangi King, Bahiya Movement, Dandelion Dance Ensemble, Deborah Karp, Clarissa Ko, Tammy Johnson, and more shared their artistic research from the newest formation of an idea, to a sketch of a more formulated research question, to a sharing of the findings in partial or completed dance phrases.
Inquiry Panels & Community Conversations
In addition to providing studio space for working artists to deepen their investigative practice, Luna hosts inquiry panels comprised of dance artists who share thoughts on a variety of topics such as dance and disability, dance and equity, what is inclusion in dance, what is community in dance, and in 2023, we hosted Radical Research: Deepening and Disrupting Dance Practice, a panel of BIPOC-Q+ artist researchers.
Artist panelists and presenters demonstrate how dance can become a righteous agent for self-determination, collective transformation, and liberation.
The 2024 series begins with the Embodying Social Justice panel conversation featuring five accomplished BIPOC-Q+ dancers, choreographers, and leaders, who have centered their art and research on diversity, equity, inclusion and justice through creative dancemaking, performance, and activism. The panelists will share their missions, strategies and findings to inspire artists and audience members to imagine creative solutions that address systemic discrimination, phobias, racism and other forms of injustice.
Studio Residency
Luna seeks to share our fortune of facility ownership to create work spaces for BIPOC, Queer, and diversely-abled artists.
The scarcity of affordable, accessible space for dancers in the San Francisco Bay Area engenders a tangible sense of isolation and desperation. Establishing a teaching artist “residency” solidifies, extends, and deepens prior efforts to address artists’ seclusion and marginality by offering a creative hub and laboratory for practitioners at pivotal times in their careers.
Our 2024 Pilot Year: After establishing anti-biased selection criteria and extensive outreach for fair inclusion of those for whom this opportunity, at this moment, will support them to manifest their vision, Luna will select two artist/educators, engage with them to identify what they believe they need to reach their full artistic potential, and co-design custom explorations. ADA-accessible studio space will be provided for rehearsing, artistic research, and informal showings. Convening space will be provided for holding meetings with collaborators, constituents, and stakeholders, as well as invitations to interact with other practitioners and leaders who attend Luna events. Designated spaces for planning, dreaming, organizing, and administering their vision will be provided in our adaptive office/community space. The artists’ inquiries will serve as a pipeline for future leaders, advocates, creators, researchers, and activists for dance.
Studio Rental
Luna’s fully ADA-accessible studios are available for artists to rent for individual exploration, solo or group rehearsals, or convening peer artists/cultural practitioners.