ZiRu Dance is excited to announce “Renewal: Back to the Stage”, a continuation of our year-long creative journey, “Renewal,” consisting of two virtual festivals and innovative outreach to help bridge communities and foster feelings of togetherness, even from afar. Our year-long project comes to a close this December with the 2021 virtual Silicon Valley Dance Festival, “Renewal: Back to the Stage.” For this year’s festival, we bring to you a diverse line up of premiere artists and companies, featuring choreography by 6 BIPOC artists: Philein Wang of ZiRu Dance (Redwood City, CA); Christian Burns of burnsWORK (San Francisco, CA); Jacques Heim of Diavolo | Architecture in Motion (Los Angeles, CA); Robert Bondara of Poznan Opera Ballet (Poland); Babatunji Johnson (San Francisco, CA); and Guanglei Hui of Cross Move Lab (China).

In just over a year, ZiRu Dance's project "Renewal” featured two Silicon Valley Dance Festivals showcasing companies from around the globe; established Project Dance-OFF, a customizable on-demand library of dance classes creating mental health opportunities for schools and non-profits; created three dance for film works focusing on the societal and cultural changes of the past year, dispelling racism and xenophobia, and ways of healing through these dramatic shifts; and designed an in school program at The Nueva School to bring professional modern dance artists to the Peninsula's youth. 

Philein Wang, ZiRu Dance Artistic Director/Founder:

“During these times, which have been ripe with change, this holiday season, creating a space for the art of dance and expression to flow through our BIPOC artists and sharing this with our diverse audience remains a driving force directing our efforts.”

Sarah Mann, ZiRu Dance Managing Director & SVDF Producer:  

"By providing an outlet for dancers and choreographers to create work, ZiRu empowers fellow creatives to take a stand on the issues of today, and to voice their opinions, needs, and wants as members of the community. We are providing jobs for working dancers, where there is currently a scarcity of opportunity. And we are sparking discussion between the members of our community, through presenting their work.”