Bay Area Dance Week, a 10-day celebration of all styles of dance — from ballet to soul line to tango — kicked off Friday at Jesse Square in San Francisco with 300 attendees showing off the “One Dance” moves they learned from the Rhythm & Motion school.
One Dance instructors Amy Rose, left, and artistic director Dudley Flores, right, lead a high-energy dance during the Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Now in its 26th year, the event offers free performances and free lessons (for all ages and skill levels) through Sunday, May 3.
Schedule highlights include:
— “Lindy at Night on Sproul,” a swing dance tonight, April 27, in Berkeley.
— On Wednesday, April 29, a Norwegian folk music and dance party in Palo Alto.
Rooftop Elementary School third-graders take part in a dance led by One Dance instructors during the Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
— Free classical ballet classes throughout the week in San Leandro.
— On Thursday, April 30, a free evening of dance with the Saratoga International Folk Dancers.
Other sessions include Indian classical and contemporary, Balinese, reggaeton, belly dance, hip hop, vitality dance and more. For times, locations and the full lineup: https://dancersgroup.org/badw/
Rooftop Elementary School third graders follow the steps by Soul Line Dance instructor Chocolate Platinum of Oakland, during the Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event at Jesse Square in San Francisco, Friday, April 24, 2026. Bay Area Dance Week is a 10-day celebration of various dance styles held throughout the Bay Area. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Rooftop Elementary School third-graders gather for a group photo with One Dance instructors Amy Rose, top left, and artistic director Dudley Flores, right, and Soul Line Dance instructor Chocolate Platinum of Oakland, top middle, after dancing during the Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Mariah Clinton, 8, and her Rooftop Elementary School classmates follow moves by One Dance instructors during the Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event at Jesse Square in San Francisco, Friday, April 24, 2026. The One Dance performance included a Soul Line Dance class led by Oakland’s Chocolate Platinum. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Kids and adults take part in a dance led by One Dance instructors during the Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)