PRESIDIO DANCE THEATRE

NEW CLASS: Adult Beginner Ballet

2012-01-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

Introducing our newest class and our newest faculty member:

Adult Beginner Ballet with Miriam Rowan

Ballroom Dancing

2012-01-26T15:07:00.001-08:00

Deck the Halls 2011 : A holiday celebration with the SF Symphony

2012-01-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Once again, the Presidio Dance Theatre Youth Company was invited to partake in the San Francisco Symphony's annual holiday celebration Deck the Hall. This year's concert conducted by Randall Craig Fleischer was a festive holiday treat for many bay area families, including some of our own: above Mia and Olivia pose with the Nutcracker himself! and below the Gingerbread Man and Rudolph pose with our Youth Company!

Photos from our Gala

2012-01-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the many wonderful attendees at our 2011 Winter Benefit Gala who made it a great success.

The Blaine Family: Presidio Dance Theatre Board President Greg Blaine (second from right) with his wife Cheryl (far right) and his parents Terry and Marge. In recognition for his contribution to the organization, the main studio of our beautiful new home The Presidio Performing Arts Center has been named the Blaine Studio.
Many thanks to Hartmann Studios (event rental), Impact Lighting (lighting and sound) and the wonderful staff from Wolfgang Puck Catering, without whose help the benefit gala would not have been possible!

Presidio Performing Arts Center Benefit Gala

2011-11-14T14:28:00.000-08:00

The Artistic Director, Board of Directors, and staff of Presidio Performing Arts Center are most happy to invite you to share an amazing wintery evening with us on the historical occasion of the OFFICIAL OPENING of our new center, home for Presidio Dance Theatre & School.

We are pleased to announce that Wolfgang Puck (our neighbor at Disney) will cater our opening Grand Gala Benefit Dinner and Show on Saturday, December 3.

If you would like to join us in celebrating please RSVP as soon as possible, as space is limited and tickets are going fast. Download an RSVP card and return it to our new offices at:

Presidio Performing Arts Center
386 Arguello Blvd at Moraga
Main Post, Presidio of San Francisco,
San Francisco, CA 94129

Please click to download an:
INVITATION
or
RSVP Card

Alternately please feel free to call us at (415) 561-3958 to make a reservation by telephone.

We look forward to sharing a wonderful evening of dining and dancing with you.

Click here for Driving Directions to our new location!

Ticket Sales Contest!

2011-05-19T14:01:00.001-07:00

Announcing...

Click HERE for a ticket order form!

We will announce the winner the night of the show!

TICKET SALES CONTEST!

Please help us sell tickets to 2011 Dancing Across Cultures, June 3rd at the Palace of Fine Arts. There will be a grand prize for whoever sells the most tickets!

How to participate:

1. Download ticket order form(s).

2. Ask friends, neighbors, family to come see you in the show!

3. On each form you complete, add your name in parenthesis (so we know who to credit for the ticket sale)!

Grand Prize...

WEEKEND with MISS SHERENE

The GRAND PRIZE for most tickets sold is a weekend BBQ & Pool Party with Miss Sherene!

You and three friends will spend a fun-filled weekend with Miss Sherene at her country home in Turlock, CA for 2 days, 1 night!

Questions? Contact Allison, allison@presidiodance.org

415-561-3958

Winner (+3 Friends!) will leave Saturday morning and return Sunday night! Date TBD.

News & Events May 2011

2011-05-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

MAY 2011

Look Who's Coming to Presidio Dance Theatre!

Our favorite choreographers and staff will return for the much anticipated DANCING ACROSS CULTUREStm, June 3rd. Artistic Director Sherene Melania, with Harvard diploma in hand, will be returning May 11th to conduct rehearsals and oversee the production. Resident Choreographer, Ahmet Luleci will be performing in the show as well. He will return June 24th to direct Collage Dance Ensemble at the Ethnic Dance Festival. Also, our favorite preschool instructor, Miss Courtney will be visiting from Chicago to perform with us and to support her young students in the Spring Recital!

Welcome Back!

PPAF's Presidio Dance Theatre is moving. The new prominent location on the Presidio's historic Main Post, positions us to become a world model for performing arts collaboration. Our facility will be named, Presidio Performing Arts Center, consisting of a state-of-the art multi-use theatre for performance, production rehearsals and special events; Green Room/Studio B and Children's Rehearsal Studio C; Gift Shoppe; Artistic Offices; Business Offices, Library/Conference Room; and Costume Storage.

We are very excited about the opportunity to create a cultural impact within America's only urban National Park and beyond.

Presidio Performing Arts Center

386 Arguello Blvd

at the Presidio Main Post

We invite you to facilitate

the move, by helping us raise capital funds. "Raising the Barre" Capital Campaign ($200,000) will cover the installation of dance flooring/marly, mirrors, barres, sound systems, theatrical lighting, media system and finishing. All Spring/Summer Season donors will be added to the "RAISING THE BARRE" plaque which will be prominently displayed in the new Presidio Performing Arts Center's lobby entrance. All donations $10,000 and above include naming opportunities. Click here to make a donation today!

Reminder! Rehearsal Schedule starts

Wednesday May 11th!

CLICK HERE for a detailed rehearsal schedule for 2011 Dancing Across Cultures(tm). Please note that this schedule is subject to change.

Regularly scheduled classes END Tuesday, May 10th for all students not participating in the performance. Performance participants will start the rehearsal schedule Wednesday May 11th.

See you in the fall at our new Presidio Performing Arts Center!

Preschool

Parents!

Please note

CLASSES END

Tuesday May 17th.

For those students participating in the Spring Recital, rehearsals will be conducted during class time which will continue until May 20th.

Parent Volunteers

Needed for Recital!

TWO CHAPERONS PER CLASS

We would like to invite parents of students participating in the recital to volunteer as chaperones on stage during the performance, the best seat in the house! For more information or to volunteer for your child's class,

please contact Allison, allison@presidiodance.org.

Mesopotamian Nights IV DVD now available!

August 2010, Presidio Dance Theatre performed at the 4th Annual Mesopotamian Nights featuring international pop-icon, Walter Aziz. A DVD/CD collection of the performance is available for purchase.

Enjoy a sample of PDT's performance on the 4th Mesopotamian Night concert DVD. CLICK HERE TO WATCH!

To purchase a DVD, visit the Mesoptamian Night's Website here.

Celebrate the Spring Season with Presidio Dance Theatre

2011-04-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Celebrate the Spring Season with

Presidio Dance Theatre

Connect with us:

2011 Dancing Across Culturestm
Dubbed by SF Weekly as "San Francisco's BEST DANCE COMPANY" Artistic Director Sherene Melania creates a retrospective of PDT's signature production with interviews from prominent choreographers of San Francisco's multicultural community who have collaborated with PDT over the years.

The production will feature an exciting cast of PDT's multi-generational international artists, and outstanding Young Artists who have now toured in Russia at the White Nights Festival (2008) TRT's Turkish International Festival (2010) and are scheduled for Paris and Budapest in 2012! . Buy your tickets Now!

Ticket Donation Proceeds from this concert will be used for the re-location of Presidio Dance Theatre in September 2011, to the Presidio's Main Post at 386 Arguello at Moraga.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Presidio Dance Theatre

at the

Palace of Fine Arts Theater

Lyon & Baker Streets

San Francisco, CA 94123

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 at 7pm

Buy Tickets

$40 General Admission

($20 is tax-deductible)

$80 Reserved Priority Seating

($60 is tax-deductible)

$120 VIP Sponsor Seating

($100 is tax-deductible)

General Information 415 561-3958

Photo by PK Visions/Paul K. Benjamin Pictured: Artist Hilda Hernandez Morales

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Behind-the-Scenes Dress Rehearsal Presidio Dance Theatre turns the camera on themselves backstage and on stage at "The Gathering" performance.

Watch It!

www.PresidioDance.org

Presidio Dance Theatre is a program of the Presidio Performing Arts Foundation, a California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation. Federal ID: #94-3322887. Since 1998, PPAF has raised $2.6 million for it's education and performance programs serving the San Francisco Bay Area. A quarter of a million have enjoyed Presidio Dance Theatre's live performances in the USA and Europe.

THE FAVORITES ARE BACK!!!! Preschoolers Choice

2010-06-17T23:56:00.002-07:00

In September 2010, The School of Presidio Dance Theatre brings back some of the most favorite preschool classes! Strong curriculum, lots of fun and creativity. Please check our website for new opportunities: www.PresidioDance.org/classes/preschool

EXPANDED ADULT PROGRAM

2010-06-17T23:46:00.001-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre has expanded its Adult programming. Master Teacher Nikolai Kabaniaev teaches ballet on Mondays and Thursdays from 10-11:30am. Saturday classes will be added in September.
Lisa Giannone brings her fabulously exciting MOMMAS ROCK work-out class on Wednesday mornings from 9-11:30am. Greek Folk dancing at beginning-advanced levels continues on Monday evenings 7:30-9:30pm.
Marcie Judelson captures the good oldies at BOOMERSIZE on Saturday mornings from 10:30-11:30am. Sundays offer two choices of Eastern Movement classes on health and meditation. And COLLAGE international folk classes are on Weds evenings at 7:30-9:30 and Sundays Noon-3pm.

For more class info: www.PresidioDance.org/classes

The School of Presidio Dance Theatre Opens 2010-2011 Registration

2010-06-17T23:35:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre is pleased to announce that it is now registering students for classes in the 2010-2011 School Year. If you are interested to learn more, please check out our website at www.PresidioDance.org/classes. Registration is online for your convenience.

Sherene Melania Bretschneider Honored by the French American International School, Alumni Profile for the International High School

2010-05-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

http://alumni.frenchamericansf.org/?page=ShereneB_profile

Sherene Melania, Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer of Presidio Dance Theatre presents DANCING ACROSS CULTURES on May 21, 2010 at 7pm

2010-05-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Weekly named Presidio Dance Theatre "The Best Dance Company in San Francisco for 2009."

DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ is the signature production of Presidio Dance Theatre. It is a full-length performance of national dances which reflect diverse cultural and folkloric traditions which have been preserved and passed down through the generations. Our Artistic Director Sherene Melania is the Principal Choreographer for this production.

2010 DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ is a perfect expose of San Francisco's enchanting multi-cultural mosaic.

DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ provides not only an artistic bridge, but an emotional bridge to diverse worlds that audiences can easily dance across - to understand, master, and thereby enrich their lives. The purpose of DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ is to deepen impressions and knowledge of people, culture and art. We believe that cultural exchange is the best way to achieve mutual understanding, friendship and peace, promoting the enrichment and flourishing of national art and the development of world culture. It is an eloquent means of joining together performing arts and social justice.

Sherene Melania, Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer
of Presidio Dance Theatre presents
DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™
Friday, May 21, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
Street: 3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123

Please call (415) 561-3958 to pre-order your tickets.
The Box Office will be open at 6pm, 1 hour before the show on Friday.

TURKISH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL IN IZMIR, April 2010

2010-04-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company's young artists represented the United States of America at TRT's Turkish International Children's Festival (23rd anniversary)in Izmir. A delegation of 29 children and parents toured Istanbul and then Izmir for the festivities. Broadcast of the festival was international!

Register Online for Presidio Dance Theatre's Summer Camps

2010-04-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

2010 Summer Camp Brochure

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMPS

Presidio Dance Theatre is pleased to inform you that we will be able to offer summer camps beginning on June 14th. through July 30th. Summer Camps are a wonderful time for new students to experience Presidio Dance Theatre, and for returning students to sharpen their technique and knowledge of repertoire. PDT offers a morning mini-camp for preschoolers (class size: 6) and Young Artists Camp for ages 5-12 yrs. (class size: 12). In addition to ballet & folk dance classes, both camps will also include visual art taught by Allison Taylor (who studied at the Sorbonne, Paris). PDT has been offering summer camps in the Presidio since 2004. Sign-up early to receive your first preference. All information will be online shortly.

DANCING ACROSS CULTUREStm, May 21

2010-04-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

TICKETS are on sale for Presidio Dance Theatre's 2010 popular signature production of Dancing Across Culturestm. Artistic Director Sherene Melania presents the Company and special guest artists on May 21, 7pm at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Franicsco. Tickets for General Admission, $40; Sponsor Reserved Seats, $60; and VIP Reserved Seats, $100. The Ticket Reservations Form is online at www.PresidioDance.org/Performances or call 415 561-3958.

The Palace of Fine Arts Box Office will be open one hour prior to the performance on May 21.

We have sold out the past two years, so we suggest that you purchase tickets early.

BALLET AT PRESIDIO DANCE THEATRE

2010-04-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

Junior Company students enjoy studying classical Russian-style ballet at Presidio Dance Theatre. This year, the advanced students prepared 16 variations from the Ballet Raymunda. Tutus for the production were designed and created by Svetlana Semyonova of the Mariinsky Theatre Artshop (home of the Kirov Opera and Ballet) Saint Petersburg, Russia. Younger students study Pre-Pointe in preparation for pointe work. Next session of classes will begin in late August. Check our website for information, schedules, auditions.

Presidio Dance Theatre's CHILDREN'S DAY AT THE SF WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE, May 3

2010-04-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

All 6000 seats have been reserved for Presidio Dance Theatre's annual free presentation of Dancing Across Culturestm for the children of San Francisco. This year's lead sponsors include Sandy Zweifach and Wendy Jaffe. PDT is pleased to Bring the World of Dance Into the Lives of Children. Artistic Director Sherene Melania will present guest artists of Collage West, Hui Tama Nui, Kennelly Irish Dancers, and more!

Presidio Dance Theatre Artistic Director Sherene Melania launches dance program at the Lycée Français La Pérouse, San Francisco

2010-04-07T19:40:00.001-07:00

On April 22, Presidio Dance Theatre award-winning dance program will be offered to students at the Lycee at the Ashbury Campus, with plans to expand in Fall to the 19th Avenue/Ortega Campus. Erin Durrah joins the PDT teaching staff (BA UC Davis; MA USF) assisted by Allison Taylor (who attended the Sorbonne in Paris). Both are excited to work with the array of international French-speaking students and their families.

On The Road to Istanbul with PPAF's Founder Judy Bretschneider

2010-04-06T17:33:00.001-07:00

Hi! I'm Judy Bretschneider, Founder and Executive Director of Presidio Dance Theatre. Members of our Junior Company and their families will travel to Istanbul and Izmir, Turkey April 14-24. I invite you to follow the road, as we blog our experiences, performances, and breaking news.

Our dancers have been chosen as the sole representatives of the USA and will perform a traditional Appalachian Clog and Hip-Hop Tap piece set by Ian of the Barbary Coast Cloggers at the largest international dance festival for children in Turkey. Young dancer, Julia Zweifach has been selected to join our Artistic Director Sherene Melania in Ankarra to be presented to the President, Prime Minister, and Parliament Director of Turkey. Also present will be the directors of TRT (Turkish National Television) all performances will be available via satellite internationally and on YOUTUBE.

Join the fun and catch the blog!

OK? Judy B.

Sherene Melania and Presidio Dance Theatre Artists are featured in the French American International School's Magazine

2010-03-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

To view the article please click the above images & they will enlarge

PPAF's Spring Season Gala was a great Success!

2010-03-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who attended PPAF's Spring Season Gala at the San Francisco Yacht Club. It was a smashing success thanks to the efforts of Louisa Kleier, Chair; Ken Kleier, Auctioneer; Lori Shigekane (atmostphere creater). We can't wait to see the photos by PBKVisions!!! http://www.pkbvisions.com

PPAF's Spring Season Gala was selected as the "Invitation of the Week" by the SF Chronicle

2010-03-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/12/LVTO1CBUK4.DTL
Presidio Performing Arts Foundation's (PPAF) Spring Season Gala was featured in "The San Francisco Chonicle's Style section" and was selected as the Invitation of the week in the Sunday, March 14th, 2010 edition.

2010 Spring Season Gala March 18th

2010-03-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

http://presidiodance.org/pdf/2010GalaInvitation.pdf

Above is a link to the Invitation to the 2010 Spring Season Gala on March 18th
6-7pm Cocktails & Silent Auction
7-9pm Dinner & Auction

Saint Francis Yacht Club
Starting Line Room
On The Marina
San Francisco, CA

Please RSVP ASAP

Proceeds from the 2010 Spring Season Benefit will be used for Presidio Performing Arts Foundation's (PPAF) Children's Day performance on May 3, 2010 as well as other Education, Outreach & Performance Programs.

Spring Dance Inspiration 2010

2010-03-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre will perform in the Spring Dance Inspiration 2010 at the Fort Mason Center's Cowell Theater on March 20 & 21. For more information about this great event & to purchase tickets please visit this website http://www.tkfproductions.org/

Sneak preview: 2010 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival auditions

2010-02-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre has been selected for the second straight year to Dance in the opening weekend of the 32nd San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival in June 2010.

Check out this article about the 2010 Auditions:
http://www.examiner.com/x-12553-SF-Ethnic-Communities-Examiner~y2010m1d14-2010-San-Francisco-Ethnic-Dance-Festival-auditions

Tutu Week at the School of Presidio Dance Theatre February 1-4, 2010

2010-01-28T18:01:00.001-08:00

Here is a link to Presidio Dance Theatre's Tutu Week Flyer:
http://www.presidiodance.org/pdf/TuTuweek2010.pdf

Tutu Week February 1-4, 2010

Preschool age students from 2.5 to 4 years old are welcome to take
free dance classes at the school of Presidio Dance Theatre from February 1-4.

Come, join the fun, and learn why for the past 2 years the School of Presidio Dance Theatre has won Nickelodeon TV's Parents Pick Awards for:

Best Dance Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2009

Best Artsy Program in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2008

PRESCHOOL SCHEDULE:
Twinkles A - 2.5-3 years old 10:30am-11:30am Monday & Wednesday
Twinkles B - 2.5-3 years old 12:15pm-1:00pm Monday & Wednesday
Twinkles C - 2.5- 3 years old 3:00pm-3:45pm Monday & Wednesday
Prepatory A - 4 years old 11:15am-Noon Monday & Wednesday
Prepatory B - 4 years old 3:45pm-4:30pm Monday & Wednesday

Spring Recital, May 21, 2010
Preschool Recital at 5:45pm at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre followed by Presidio Dance Theatre's popular signature production, DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ at 7pm.

Sherene Melania Will Soon Celebrate 5 Years with Presidio Dance Theatre

2009-12-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Sherene Melania will celebrate her 5th year of directing the Companies, School, and DANCE OUT! outreach of Presidio Dance Theatre. May 21, 2010 is set for this special commemoration to honor her outstanding contributions to the organization.

SESSION II REGISTRATION OPENS ON DECEMBER 21

2009-12-18T22:23:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE to register for classes

Paul Benjamin is Presidio Dance Theatre's Official Photographer, here is a link to photos from the Winter Wonderland performance

2009-12-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to Paul Benjamin's site featuring WINTER WONDERLAND photos from the show on Sunday. You can make your order online and enjoy his marvelous capture of the behind the scenes and stage.

http://pkbvisions.com/client/dance/wonderland/

Shop For A Cause - a percentage of each purchase made online goes to a charity of your choice

2009-12-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

"Shop For A Cause" our supporters to earn money for Presidio Performing Arts Foundation when you shop online using the cause application on Facebook. Now you can feel even better about giving gifts this holiday season. The process is simple: just add the Causes Toolbar to your browser, which allows "Shop for a Cause" to track your online purchases and will automatically donate a percentage to the organization of your choice. Also whenever you search for something using the cause tool bar a penny will be donated to which ever organization you choose. So please be sure to select Presidio Performing Arts Foundation on your tool bar once installed. Over 1,600 online sites that have agreed to donate a percentage of purchases to organizations like ours! These merchants include Best Buy, Target, Barnes and Noble, and many more. Please CLICK HERE to add the Causes toolbar to your web browser. Thank you for adding the "Shop for a Cause" toolbar to your browser and helping support Presidio Performing Arts Foundation!

Please vote for Presidio Performing Arts Foundation (PPAF) to receive $25,000 from Chase Community Giving

2009-11-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

WINTER WONDERLAND: Celebrating Holidays Across Cultures

2009-11-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company presents
WINTER WONDERLAND:
CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS ACROSS CULTURES™
Family Matinee, December 13, 3pm,
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St, San Francisco

Sherene Melania, Artistic Director of Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company will present its annual benefit holiday presentation: WINTER WONDERLAND: CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS ACROSS CULTURES™, Family Matinee, 3pm, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St, San Francisco.

Tickets are $35, $ 50, and $100. Box Office link http://www.presidiodance.org/pdf/WinterWonderlandTicketOrderForm.pdf. Proceeds from this performance are used to sponsor the charitable works of Presidio Performing Arts Foundation, including fund afterschool dance outreach to underserved children and student scholarships for talented children.

A wonderful alternative to the Nutcracker, WINTER WONDERLAND, a narrated international holiday production, opens a joyful world with feelings of amazement, festivity and wonder, delighting audiences of all ages with a celebration of holiday favorites from the great ballets and holidays across cultures. Costumes for this matinee are created especially for the school by the artists and designers of the Mariinsky Theatre (home of the Kirov Ballet). A festive Holiday Party follows the performance.

Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company has been named as "San Francisco's Dance Ambassadors to the world" by two Mayors. They performed in the famed White Nights Festival in Russia last summer and have recently been selected as the ONLY dance group to represent the United States at the largest international children's festival in Turkey, April 2010.

In June, 2010, The School of Presidio Dance Theatre will re-locate to a new state of the art facility on the Presidio's Main Post with double its present capacity of studio and production space and community programs. For more information call 415 561-3958 or visit www.PresidioDance.org

Presidio Dance Theatre's Junior Company will represent the United States of America at the world's largest International Children's Festival in Turkey

2009-11-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

BREAKING NEWS! Presidio Dance Theatre's Junior Company has been selected to represent the United States of America at the world's largest international children's festival in Izmir, Turkey---APRIL 2010. Each year, Turkey's Ministry of Culture and TRT host a festival with 10,000+ children representing 65 nations. As America's only representative, this is a large honor for our young people's dance group and their selection to share the stage with children from all over the world. Besides performing an American Suite of Dances, the Junior Company will perform the festival's only and first presentation of Assyrian and Armenian dances. TRT (national television of Turkey) projects the festival around the world and each participant receives a fabulous cultural education, as well! Further, the Junior Company has been to invited to perform in the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Ankara for a special classical ballet evening. The tour will also include special events in Istanbul. Presidio Dance Theatre's popular Turkish choreographer Ahmet Luleci will lead the tour.

Allison Taylor joins the staff of Presidio Performing Arts Foundation & Presidio Dance Theatre

2009-11-09T14:39:00.000-08:00

Allison Taylor joins the PPAF/PDT staff! After spending the summer at Presidio Dance Theatre as an Intern, Allison joins our Administrative Staff as Programs Manager. Allison attended and graduated from Loyola Marymount and received a degree in the Art History, Modern Languages and Literature. Her arts education was based at the Sorbonne in Paris. She is fluent in French. Allison looks forward to designing a visual arts program for our summer camps, which will enhance our dancers education.

Sherene Melania a USF graduate in 2005 is a mentor in a new pilot program to connect students with alumni

2009-11-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sherene Melania Bretchneider '05 (right) is a mentor in a new pilot program to connect students with alumni.

CLICK HERE to check out the mentor program at USF.

"The University of San Francisco’s College of Arts and Sciences recently launched a mentoring program designed to connect students with alumni who share their career, cultural, or social interests."

Sherene Melania holds a B.A. in Performing Arts & Social Justice and was awarded University of San Francisco's Dean Medal for Excellence in the Arts.

Boutique Order Form - Presidio Dance Theatre T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Junior Company Artist Tote Bag w/ PDT Logo

2009-11-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

Winter Season is fast approaching and for the holidays, Presidio Dance Theatre offers a boutique of gifts for our dance students. Pre-Orders will accepted through November 15th. Items will be available by December 11th--just in time for use in the theatre! Please not that some items are offered through pre-order only. CLICK HERE to view the Boutique Order Form

Check out this great web page about Presidio Dance Theatre on World Arts West's website

2009-10-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

http://www.worldartswest.org/main/edf_performer.asp?i=155

Destiny's Waltz - In Step With Giants by Robert de Warren

2009-09-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Robert de Warren is Presidio Dance Theatre's Artist Laureate, he will be speaking at Presidio Performing Arts Foundations Board of Directors Annual Cocktail Party on Wednesday October, 21 2009 at the residence of Lisa Giannone & Dr. Dillingham. His new book Destiny's Waltz - In Step With Giants is a memoir of his work with ballet's greatest artists, companies, and his time working under the patronage of the Shah of Iran, creating the Iranian National Ballet and the Mahalli Dancers. To purchase a signed copy of Mr. de Warren's Destiny's Waltz - In Step With Giants please call Presidio Dance Theatre (415) 561-3958. For more information about Robert de Warren please visit our website http://www.presidiodance.org/ Please check out the 4 minute promotional video below for Destiny's Waltz - In Step With Giants:

Presidio Dance Theatre's Junior Company & Presidio Dance Theatre's professional Dance Company Collage West were both featured in the Assyrian Festival

2009-09-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all Junior Company members who performed at this years Assyrian Festival in Ceres California this past weekend September 12 & 13, 2009. It was a great success. Not only did some of the Junior Company members perform but also Collage West performed as well. The 12th annual Assyrian Food Festival featured authentic Assyrian foods, homemade pastries, an Assyrian tea house, cultural displays, music and entertainment. Assyrians are a Christian ethnic group that traces its heritage back to an ancient empire in Iraq and Turkey that lasted most of the second millennium B.C.

Presidio Dance Theatre & Sherene Melania were featured in the Modesto Bee.
http://www.modbee.com/scene/story/849427.html

Congratulations to Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company Member Sabrina Perell who won 2 gold medals in Dance at the JCC Maccabi Games

2009-09-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company member Sabrina Perell who won 2 Gold Medals in dance at the Maccabi Games this past Summer.

Congratulations to Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company Member Maddy Chan

2009-09-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Maddy Chan who represented San Francisco at the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and is a distinguished alumna. Ms. Sherene has been invited to nominate the next school year conferences. If your child is interested in being nominated please contact Bryan at (415) 561-3958 to make arrangements.

Presidio Dance Theatre Academy Won Nickelodeon's Parents Picks Award for Best Dance Classes in the SF Bay Area!

2009-08-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

For Dance Class
in San Francisco

Thank you parents for voting for Presidio Dance Theatre Academy who won Nickelodeon TV's Parents' Picks Award for Best Dance Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is the second straight year Presidio Dance Theatre Academy has won Nickelodeon TV's Parents' Picks Award. In 2008 Presidio Dance Theatre also won the Nickelodeon Television's Parents' Picks Award for "BEST ARTSY PROGRAM" in the San Francisco Bay Area Award CLICK HERE to check it out

Please vote for Presidio Performing Arts Foundation (PPAF) to receive the Nike Back Your Block Grant!

2009-07-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.nikebackyourblock.com/ApplicantProfile.aspx?ApplicantId=b9626a7c-ed0a-4bb7-9d45-13ad3f6dc9e1

Please click the above link to vote everyday for Presidio Performing Arts Foundation (PPAF) to receive the Nike Back Your Block grant to help fund for our award winning DANCE OUT! outreach program. You can enter multiple email addresses. Thank you for voting everyday!

Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company Dancers Remember Michael Jackson's Life featured on KTVU's 5 & 6 O'clock News

2009-07-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.ktvu.com/video/19986090/index.html
Yesterday morning, Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company dancers Tahirih Skolnik and Gina Brignetti were interviewed by KTVU's Jesse Gary regarding their feelings about the memorial services for Michael Jackson. They were on KTVU's 5 & 6 o'clock news yesterday (07-07-2009). The news story also features them dancing at the Presidio Dance Theatre Studio.

SUMMER CAMPS ARE HERE! ONLINE REGISTRATION

2009-06-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

A Big Hello from our Preschool Mini-Campers
With a wonderful start today, 12 Preschool Mini-Campers transformed into Fairies and Butterflies and enjoyed opening day of camp with teacher, Miss Laura Moir, assisted by Presidio Dance Theatre Advanced Junior Company member, Miss Gina Brignetti.

Another 36 enthusiastic Young Artists Campers and Junior Company dancers enjoyed classes in ballet and folk with Miss Sherene Melania, Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of Presidio Dance Theatre. Students also created artistic renderings of dancers with touches of costume composition.

Camps are fun, educational, and perfect for children who like dance and theater!!!

CLICK HERE to read more about our camps

Presidio Dance Theatre was in the opening weekend of the 31rst Annual San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival

2009-06-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

Click the above photo & write up to see it more clearly. It was taken from the 2009 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival Program book. Presidio Dance Theatre was featured in the opening weekend of the 31rst Annual San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, which took place on June 6th & 7th. Presidio Dance Theatre WORLD PREMIERE - From the floral headpieces down to the traditional boots, artists and designers of the Kirov Ballet and Mariinsky Theatre (formerly Kirov Ballet) created costumes for this company of young dancers for Ukrainian Suite, a showcase of the traditional girls dance and the popular national Hopak. taken from http://www.worldartswest.org/main/edf_index.asp

Presidio Dance Theatre was selected as SF Weekly's Best Dance Company of 2009!!!

2009-05-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.sfweekly.com/bestof/2009/award/best-dance-company-1525035/
Best Dance Company
Presidio Dance Theatre

Dance habitués who like their movement with an international flavor needn't rely on the annual Ethnic Dance Festival alone to feed their fancy. Presidio Dance Theatre has effortlessly employed a global aesthetic for the more than 100 productions in its repertory. That means moves specific to a certain culture are never marginalized and separated from the rest of the show. Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Sherene Melania has whipped up a tantalizingly diverse ensemble of principal dancers trained in modern and traditional styles, all the while ensuring that all the elements fit together. Showcases with themes like "Dancing Across Cultures" and guest choreographers with routines including the Turkish dances of the Black Sea and the Iranian dances of the Qajar court illuminate without being pedantic. The theater also has a slew of intensive summer camps and classes for kids, while adults can dabble in everything from Greek folk dancing to flamenco.

Please Vote for Presidio Dance Theatre for Best Dance Class in San Francisco

2009-05-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre Academy has been nominated for Best Dance Class in San Francisco by Nickelodeon Television's Parents Choice Awards in 2009. Please vote for Presidio Dance Theatre below:

For Dance Class
in San Francisco
In 2008 Presidio Dance Theatre won the Nickelodeon Television's Parents Choice: "BEST ARTSY PROGRAM" in the SF Bay Area Award CLICK HERE to check it out

CHILDREN'S DAY AT THE SF WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE

2009-05-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Nearly 6000 children enjoyed Presidio Performing Art Foundation's annual "CHILDREN'S DAY AT THE SF WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE," free performances of excerpts from DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™. Before the shows, Bryan Blumenfeld welcomed the children, and young artists Mia Blaine and Chandler Crump modeled dance costumes and helped Miss Judy lead the audience in a cheer.

The shows opened with our sparkly Winter Wonderland dance theatre piece. Sparks flew when our guest artists originally from the Republic of Georgia performed their sword dances, and the audience enjoyed Miss Sherene dancing alongside (the first stage appearance since her fracture in 2008). Junior Company Ryan Chan stole the show with his rendition of Eskimo. The ah's and oooh's resonated beyond the walls of the Opera House!!!! Miss Julia and Miss Tricia performed an elegant Hungarian Dance and newly staged versions of Irish, Arabian, and Tarantella included all the rest of the Junior Company. This event was featured on television's ABC 7 "What's Hot" segment with Don Sanchez the Arts & Entertainment Reporter, check it out here. One public school teacher sent us a note and gave PPAF an "A+" for the performances.

KRON 4's "Best of the Bay" Nominated Presidio Dance Theatre "Best Dance Studio in the Bay Area"

2009-04-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theater has been nominated by KRON 4's Best of the Bay TV as one of the "Best Dance Studios In the Bay Area"

Presidio Dance Theatre was mentioned on ABC 7's "What's Hot" segment for the Children's Day performance at the SF War Memorial Opera House

2009-04-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre's "Children's Day" at the SF War Memorial Opera House was featured on this week's "What's Hot" segment on ABC 7. Presidio Performing Arts Foundation (PPAF) sponsors 6,000 students to attend our signature performance DANCING ACROSS CULTURES for FREE! Bringing the World of Dance Into the Lives of Children

ABC 7 entertainment guide: "What's Hot" in the Bay Area this weekend - 4/30/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=6788409

Sherene Melania is featured in The Turkish Cultural Days of Montreal as well as our guest choreographer/artist Ahmet Luleci

2009-04-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Collage Dance Ensemble
http://www.quartierdesspectacles.com/en/calendrier/fichespectacle.asp?id=5506

Turkish Cultural Days of Montreal

Ahmet Lüleci and The Collage Dance Ensemble

The Turkish Cultural Days of Montreal and the Pierre Péladeau Centre welcomes Ahmet Lüleci, well-known choreographer and dancer and the troupe The Collage Dance Ensemble on May 31st at the Salle Pierre-Mercure for an exceptional dance show.

Native of Turkey, Ahmet Lüleci and his dance troupe The Collage Dance Ensemble are not new to the Montreal scene since he has been putting on many shows and organizing dance workshops in Montreal for a long time, and now resides in Boston. The Collage Dance Ensemble is back for a dance show that is as folkloric as it is modern from the Balkan region, Caucasia and the Middle East, but also Anatolia (Turkey), which sits at the cultural crossroads of all the surrounding regions.

Lauded internationally, the troupe The Collage Dance Ensemble is an excellent example of multicultural expression and is pursuing the goal of bringing harmony to people of different cultures via dance and music, integrating the folkloric disciples of Eastern Europe, Caucasia and Anatolia along with modern and western technique.

When Ahmet Lüleci established himself in Boston at the end of the 80s, he founded the traditional Turkish dance group « Kemençe ». When the group became more experimental and professional, he added non-Turkish material and changed the name to 'Collage Dance Ensemble'.

Today the troupe Collage Dance Ensemble is composed of more than twenty dancers and puts on shows in the US, Canada as well as Turkey.

We invite all Montrealers to join us for this exceptional dance show that will have us jumping out of our seats to join in this passionate and energetic dance that bears witness to the cultural crossroads where it was conceived...

Salle Pierre-Mercure (Centre Pierre-Péladeau) UQAM

Sunday 31.05.2009 to Sunday 31.05.2009
Hours: 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 - 35

Reservation / Information
Phone: (514) 987-6919
Order online

Presidio Dance Theatre Guest Artist/Choreographer NOEMI ARAXI

2009-04-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

NOEMI ARAXI Armenian Dance

Identified at a young age for her talent and passion for dance, Ms. Araxi was invited to attend the Armenian Choreographic Institute in Yerevan. Her teachers were the most in fluential in the field of ballet from throughout the former Soviet Union. Upon graduation, Ms. Araxi joined the National Opera and Ballet of Armenia (formerly the U.S.S.R. Opera and Ballet of Armenia), and rapidly advanced to become one of its principal dancers. Her choreographers and coaches included the legendary Dudinskaya and her husband, Sergeyev, who both said that Madame Araxi was "graceful, talented, and exotic," Balabina, Re- garovich , Grigorovich, Vinogradov, Preabrajinsky, Uri Kamaledenov, Martirosian and many other great teachers. Madame Araxi performed on tours with the Kirov Ballet and also with the Bolshoi Ballet, who presented her their prestigious "GRAMMATA AWARD" for leading roles in performances. Today, Madame Araxi is the Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer for one of America's most popular Armenian Dance Company, ARAX, based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Presidio Dance Theatre Guest Artist/Choreographer Wan-Chao Chang

2009-04-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

WAN-CHAO CHANG, Chinese Dance
Wan-Chao Chang, a dancer and choreographer, brings to her work a wealth of diverse training and experience. Her works are a blend of many virtuoso dance disciplines, giving them a unique character. Born in Taiwan of Indonesian Chinese parents, she received extensive classical training in both Western and Eastern dance and music, and taught ballroom, ballet, modern, and folk dance locally and internationally. Since arriving in the U.S. in 1995, she has performed with such critically acclaimed companies as Ballet Afsaneh, Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Gadung Katuri Balinese Dance and Music, Westwind International Folk Ensemble, Harsanari Indonesian Dance Company, and Chinese Folk Dance Association. Chang holds a B.A. in Management from FengChia University in Taiwan, and a B.A. in Dance Ethnology as well as a M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from San Francisco State University. She currently performs as a principal dancer with Ballet Afsaneh and Gadung Kasturi, and acts as guest choreographer with Ballet Afsaneh, Presidio Dance Theatre, and Westwind, which she directed in 2001-2002. Out of many choreographers who applied, she was recently selected to debut her piece "There" at the Westwave Dance Festival in San Francisco. Wan-Chao will perform as a soloist in the SF Ethnic Dance Festival this June.

Presidio Dance Theatre Guest Artist/Choreographer Mohammad Nejad

2009-04-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

M. Nejad, Resident Composer and Master Instrumentalist
Mohammad Nejad, a Persian-born master multi-instrumentalist, was born to a musical family in Tehran, Iran. As a young child, Persian classical music was passed dow n to him from his father. In Tehran he attended a special high school for musicians, later graduating from Fine Arts Academy in 1976, and in 1990 received a Bachelors of Fine Arts Musicianship and Performance from Tehran University, proficient in both the Western and Persian musical systems. While studying toward the completion of his degree, he was blessed with having master teachers of Persian classical music including Ostad Roushanravan, Ostad Sinaki, Ostad Jankook, Ostad Paayvar, Ostad Tavakol, Ostad Tahmasebiyan, Ostad Moosavi, Ostad Khoshdel and Ostad Baharlou. In the early 1990s he began recording for the Iranian motion picture industry. He composed for and performed with many music and dance ensembles in Iran.

Nejad came to the United States in 1995, he now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nejad plays a large number of instruments, including ney, zurna, Western flute, santur, kanun, oud, setar, dotar, tar, kemanche, violin, daf, dumbek, zarb, accordion and keyboards. He effectively uses Persian instruments to add a Persian influence to Western classical, jazz, blues, new age, and flamenco. He also performs traditional Persian classical music. He performs regularly with the acclaimed Bay area Central Asian dance company Ballet Afsaneh. He collaborates with many other musicians and ensembles. He has performed throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States, including most campuses of the University of California, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Ethnic Dance Festival in San Francisco, and the San Jose Center for t he Performing Arts. He teaches privately and through workshops.

Presidio Dance Theatre Guest Artist/Choreographer Ahmet Lüleci

2009-04-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances from the Black Sea
A native of Turkey, is an accomplished folkdance teacher, performer, choreographer, and musician, as well as a researcher of Anatolian folk culture. Since his arrival in North America in 1985, he has been promoting the Turkish folklore all over the world, to amateur as well as professional groups. Ahmet has been performing Turkish folk dancing and music since the age of eight. At the age of 15, he became a dance instructor. He taught several ensembles in Ankara, Istanbul, Eskisehir, and Bursa.

Between 1973 and 1985, he participated in international dance festivals and competions throughout western and eastern Europe. In addition, he taught ensembles that appeared in more than 60 programs broadcast nationally in Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Ahmet also served as Director of Dances for HOY-TUR, long considered one of Turkey's leading folk dance associations.

In 1985, Ahmet's research on "The Culture in Southern Anatolia" won the first prize at the national competition held by "Youth Sport and Education Ministry." Since 1985 he has continued his work in the United States and Canada, Asia, Europe, and South America. In 1988, Ahmet became director of the Boston-based Kemençe Dance Ensemble. In 2001, as the Artistic Director of Collage International Dance Ensemble (formerly20Kemençe), Ahmet received the Dance Umbrella Boston Moves 2001 Award, a commission to create a world-premiere work for Boston audiences. Ahmet choreographed a dance suite for the Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble and had the troupe's costumes specially made and shipped from Turkey. Some of the other notable perofrming ensembles with which he has worked include the famed AMAN Folk Ensemble of Los Angeles (in 1991, Ahmet joined AMAN's artistic staff as resident choreographer), Mandala of Boston, Les Sortileges of Montreal, Vinok of Edmonton, Gehem of Ankara, Butfod of Bursa, and Folktur of İstanbul.

Baglama and davul are the folk instruments Ahmet most enjoys playing. Indeed, his college major was music, with specialization in voice. Ahmet's love of folksongs and fascination with folk dance led him to conduct scholarly research into the historical, social, and cultural background of the costumes and spoon dances from Turkey's Mediterranean coast. In 1997, Ahmet completed a second degree in Fine Arts, specializing in Graphic Design. Ahmet has taught a the major folk dance camps in the United States and Canada, including the San Francisco Kolo Festival and the Stockton Folk Dance Camp in California, and continues to teach workshops throughout the United States from his home-base in Boston, Massachusetts. Ahmet is co-founder and co-director of the annual World Music & Dance Camp at Cape Cod, Massachussetts.

Among Ahmet's publications are an exhaustive, 400-page folklore study on the folkdances of Turkey for which he was awarded First Place in the 1985 national competition in research on the folk dances by the Turkish Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Education.

Dances Ahmet has taught include Agir Govenk, Agir Halay, Arzu İle Kamber (Silivri) (Garaguna), Basso, Bablekhan, Çimençiçek, Delile, Drida, Enzele Reksi, Felek, Galamatia, Goltepe, Güvercin, İspanyol Kasabı, Kara Uzum, Karadeniz, Karşilama, Kelekvan, Kerekes Héjsza, Kina, Livan Öy, Mendil, Oğuzlu, Papatya, Rakkas, Roman, Samatya, Sevda Horonu, Siksara, Teşi-Düz-Halay, Uzun Kavak, Uzundere (Sahlan), and Yeni Hamam.

Presidio Dance Theatre Guest Artist/Choreographer Avtandil Kurashvili

2009-04-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

Avtandil Kurashvili, Georgian Dances
A native of the Republic of Georgia, started dance training at the Georgian State Choreographic School of Sukhisvili-Ramishvili, from which he graduated with great honors in 1987. By age ten, he became a solo dancer of the Tsaktubo national Ensemble and made stage appearances all around Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania.

Avtandil won the Gold Medal at the prestigious Kremlin Folk Dance Competition in 1989 (Moscow). In 1996, Avtandil joined the KUTAISI National Dance troupe and soon was promoted to Soloist, touring Greece, France, Turkey and Israel. From 1998-2004, Avtandil was a principal dancer with the National Ensemble MAMULI with whole he toured extensively around the world. In 1999, together with the lead choreographer of MAMULI, Zaur Papiashvili, established a children's dance studio where he served as rehearsal director while the children toured in Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

His unique artistic talent and superlative performing skills were noted by dance authorities and he was invited to join the Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili, known for the world's greatest dancers. Avtandil was recognized as one of the the company's most talented and creative solo dancers, whose innovations were elaborated in his marvelous, artistic solos. He received rave reviews for his solo performances in many countries. During his years with this company, he had over 100 performances around the world and in 30 states of the USA.

From 2004-2007, Avtandil held the lead choreographer position in the Georgian State Children's Ensemble LASHQARI. He received numerous awards as a recognized solo dancer and choreographer by the State of Georgia.

Sherene Melania Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer of Presidio Dance Theatre

2009-04-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Trained in classical dance by San Francisco Ballet and Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington, DC, Sherene Melania performed principal youth roles with both San Francisco Ballet and Kirov Ballet (on its US national tour), and at 16, participated in the Prix de Lausanne international dance competition, one of twelve to represent the USA. Concurrently, she studied character and international folk dance in the style of Igor Moiseyev. After spending two years in Russia as the student of Kirov Ballet Mistress, Gabriella Komleva, Sherene performed as a guest artist with ballet and folk companies in Russia, France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, and Switzerland.
Sherene recently performed with Les Ballets Persans in Stockholm and London; Iranian New Year's, New York City; and Magic of Persia, London. This year, she performs in Robert de Warren's "Celebration in London," Ahmet Luleci's "Collage" in Boston and Montreal at the Salle Pierre-Mercure Centre Pierre-Peladeau, "Near Eastern Summer Arts Festival" at the Gallo Center for the Performing Arts, and in the South of France.

Sherene Melania is Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of Presidio Dance Theatre & Academy, the only performing arts facility based in a National Park, except for Wolf Trap in Virginia. She holds a B.A. in Performing Arts and Social Justice and University of San Francisco's Dean Medal for Excellence in the Arts; a Certificate for Ballet Direction Specialty and Choreography from the prestigious Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, Russia; and was selected by Mayor Gavin Newsom to serve on the San Francisco Arts Commission, representing the field of dance since 2007.

Sherene is a member of the SF Community Arts, Education, and Cultural Equity Committee, SF Arts Providers Alliance, California Arts Advocates, and International Dance Council UNESCO. She designed and directs DANCE OUT! Presidio Performing Arts Foundation's free citywide education program offered in the public schools, funded by the California Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, which was nominated by the Presidio Trust to receive the President's Commission for Arts & Humanities, Coming Up Taller Award.

As a Choreographer, she has set pieces for dance companies at home and abroad, and presented for the United Nations, International Red Cross, and PBS. She annually presents Winter and Spring Seasons for Presidio Dance Theatre. 2008 live audiences exceeded 40,000 at major venues and festivals including the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, Marin Center, Palace of Fine Arts, Herbst Theater, Davies Symphony Hall, SF City Hall; Saint Petersburg's famed White Nights Festival at the Catherine Palace; and the 300th Anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo International Festival. Her work has been recognized by the press nationally in Dance Magazine, Dance Teacher, and internationally broadcast. In 2008, Sherene received a national award from Nickelodeon Television for "Best Artsy Program" in the SF Bay Area.

Sherene Melania uses her passion for dance to encourage not only an appreciation for the arts and artistic excellence, but also the value of developing "complete artists" who utilize academic and dance education, as a tool for promoting cultural awareness and understanding, leading to a deep compassion for humanity.

PRESIDIO DANCE THEATRE
PERFORMANCES:
Presidio Dance Theatre was awarded the distinction to perform in the OPENING WEEKEND of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival this June. In 2008, the live audiences of Presidio Dance Theatre exceeded 40,000! 10,000 were underserved children offered free performances at: SF War Memorial Opera House (6000); Youth in Arts at the Marin Center (4000); and SF Symphony's Deck the Halls (2000) at the Davies Symphony Hall. 20,000 were international tourists and Russians at the White Nights Festival of Saint Petersburg; and 10,000 were SF Bay Area residents at our self-produced performances at the Palace of Fine Arts, Herbst Theater, and around California.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:
Presidio Dance Theatre Academy offers 27 classes/rehearsals per week with 320 attending. 12 performing artists and international ensembles/choreographers utilize the facility in the evenings/weekends in co-production with Presidio Dance Theatre. PPAF's Choreographer's International Dance Workshops are offered to the public quarterly. PPAF's DANCE OUT! outreach (11th year) offers free dance classes to SFUSD students at their schools, based in Sunset, Richmond, and Panhandle consortiums. Annually, 150 students participate in this program and the most promising are identified and recruited under scholarship to the Presidio Dance Theatre Academy.

Presidio Dance Theatre Guest Artist/Choreographer Robert de Warren

2009-04-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

ROBERT de WARREN in Spring Season residence with Presidio Dance Theatre of San Francisco. Mr. de Warren is available for interviews April 25-May 24, please call to arrange (415-561-3958 ask for Bryan or email bryan@presidiodance.org). Robert de Warren will be creating “Dance of the Qajar Court” for SF Artist Sherene Melania, who will perform at Presidio Dance Theatre’s 2009 Dancing Across Cultures™ international dance mosaic at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre on May 22, 7pm.

Robert de Warren of Iran-Das Foundation, an international Artistic Director of Ballet, Opera, and Musical Theater will be in San Francisco during Presidio Dance Theatre’s 2009 Spring Season. He is best known for choreography in multiple styles and as Master Teacher to the stars (including Nureyev). He is classical, contemporary, mystical or pure theatre, and brings together such disparate experiences and blends them to produce true and original works of art. In the most prestigious venues throughout the world, Mr. de Warren is also known for creating original theater set and costume designs.

Distinguished amongst ballet directors for his high professionalism, backed by specialized study and over four decades of experience, Robert de Warren brings unique achievements to the companies he has directed and/or choreographed for, including Royal Ballet of London; Iranian National Ballet & Mahali Dancers of Iran under the patronage of His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Iran and Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Farah; La Scala Theatre of Italy; and Sarasota Ballet of Florida.

BACKGROUND:
Robert de Warren
Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, of British/Italian parents, Robert de Waren is a citizen of the World. From an early age he developed a great love of music and dance. At 12 years old he founded a MILONGA in the town of Chacabuco, in Argentina where he lived. He learned the TANGO and PASO DOBLE and the Argentine National Dance EL PERICON at that early age. After completing high school in Montevideo, where he also studied ballet with Vera Dalton and later Boris Kniasef, he travelled to England at 17. His invitation to the Arts Educational Schools and later The Royal Ballet launched his career, as Dame Ninette de Valois (founder of the Royal Ballet), saw in the young dancer the gifts for directing and choreographing and encouraged his development from the outset. De Warren readily admits having learned his trade from this great lady. As a dancer with the Royal Ballet he soon learned the entire productions of the great classical repertoire and can, today, reproduce them in the most authentic versions. He has also created many original works performed around the world.

At La Scala, Milan, where he was appointed by recommendation of Rudolf Nureyev. He was the first director to bring American Choreographers to present full evenings of their works, such as Alvin Ailey and Paul Taylor. He also brought "Fall River Legend" by Agness DeMille for the legendary Carla Fracci who previewed the performance at the Metropolitan Opera House with ABT in New York. De Warren's own creations at La Scala include an enlarged "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" which was the best selling ballet that season, COPPELIA, LA BOUTIQUE FANTASQUE, SOIREES MUSICALES and A YOUNG PERSONS GUIDE TO THE ORCHESTRA. He also collabotated with many international personalities first of which was Rudolf Nureyev, Riccardo Mutti, Andrea Gavazzeni who invited him to choreograph the dances in ADRIANA LECOUVREUR which La Scala inaugurated at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Franco Zeffirelli, Gianni Versace, Pavarotti, Mirella Frenni, have all shared the stage with his creations , as designers and performers. De Warren also insured the most notable Ballet Stars guested with his company. http://www.euroarts.com/script/whatsnew.php

His arrival at La Scala had been preceded by eleven years at the head of the Northern Ballet Theatre (who owe their name to him). This fledgling company became the major touring ballet in Britain and presented smaller versions of the classics as well as an eclectic repertoire that became its trade mark and basis of its enormous success. De Warren obtained the royal patronage of the Princess Margaret and Rudolf Nureyev, who had worked often with de Warren and frequently danced with the company, became ARTIST LAUREATE, a distinction no other organization has ever enjoyed. NBT performed over 200 shows a season all over the country and in London at the Sadler's Wells Theatre. Many international choreographers contributed to their reprtoire, notably: Birgit Cullberg, Fleming Flindt, Michael Corder, Geoffrey Cauley, and Gillian Lynne (Cats). Dame Alicia Markova assisted in coaching Giselle and Les Sylphides. De Warren himself choreographed many original works that had hundreds of performances all over Britain and Ireland and were later produced by companies in France, Italy, Hong Kong and USA. www.northernballettheatre.co.uk/history1976.html

Not happy to run a company with such commitments, de Warren, in his quest for new talent helped found the Northern Ballet School now in its 30th year. He also founded the National Ballet Academy in Montevideo, the Pre-Professional College Course at la Scala in association with the Cathoilic University, The National Folklore Society and College in Iran. Dancers and choreographers de Warren has mentored are now themselves sought after directors and choreographers which gives this dedicated man a sense of fulfillment.

It was on a visit to New York to discuss production details with Agness DeMille that Robert was invited to Sarasota by Danish dance critic Bent Schoenberg and his wife. Bent introduced him to the founder of Sarasota Ballet and he was asked to meet the Board of Directors to advise on a search for a new Artistic Director. The meeting ended with him being offered the post! Having another three years contract in Milan Robert did not think this would happen. However, he was so impressed by Sarasota, a small resort city with already an opera, symphony, ballet and six theatre groups, so he actually considered leaving La Scala with its constant strikes and political turmoil. I recall meeting Robert in Milan excited with what he thought was a city to become the Montecarlo of USA! In hindsight he was absolutely right!

Much has been written about the eleven years Robert and his wife Jacqueline spent in Iran from 1965 to 1976 when dame Ninette de Valois sent him to become ballet master and his wife his assistant, to the National Ballet of Iran at the behest of the Shah. They found a very basic setup with a school and some dancers at semi professional level. The Shah had ordered the construction of a new opera house, the Rudaki hall, which would open the year of his coronation. De Warren was asked to advise on final details. I was in Iran as representative of the United nations, and this is where we first met.

True to character, Robert brought the ballet to a high standard so that for the inauguration of the opera house they performed for the Shah and Empress Farah. Through his brother in law, the Shah instructed Robert to research all mystic, tribal and ceremonial dance in the country.

Thus they founded the National Folklore Society of Iran and the Mahalli Dancers of Iran who became ambassadors of Iranian culture and toured the world. Robert freely travelled the country with his assistants, cameraman and sound technician recording everything he found. The theatrical performances were based on this research. He laso created the national archives for all this material. I saw all their presentations in Teheran, London and Washington where they performed for President and Mrs. Ford for the Bicentennial Ceremonies. In this capacity the de Warrens attended many state and court occasions and prepared numerous performances for the Shah's guests. On their third tour of USA for the Bicentennial they performed at Bovary Theatre at UCLA where de Warren was assaulted on stage by anti-shah demonstrators. Pandemonium broke out and it took American security some time to restore order. This was a warning signal Robert and Jacqueline did not ignore, so on their return to Iran they stopped in London and discussed the latest happenings. Colleagues from The Royal Ballet insisted they not return to Iran, but Robert, loyal to those who had given them such welcome, did return. However he had been offered the direction of Northern Dance Theatre with a free hand to develop and grow that organization. This is how Northern Ballet Theatre was born.

Robert had already experienced much animosity being organized towards the Shah, which made it obvious peace would not last. A year later the Shah invited Robert to create a special performance for a celebration at the summer palace. The Empress greeted Robert warmly and soon the Shah arrived. It was obvious he was a sick man. Violent manifestations were already apparent in the sprawling city. As it resulted, this was the last court ceremony before the Imperial family had to leave in exile.

Following work with Northern Ballet Theatre, Mr. de Warren became Artistic Director of Sarasota Ballet in Florida, recently retiring to work on his Iran-Das organization.

Check out the Gallery of Anna Korotysheva our Artistic Consultant

2009-03-30T13:13:00.001-07:00

Please check out Anna Korotysheva's website to view her gallery here as well as her website page on our website here. Anna Korotysheva serves as Artistic Consultant for the Presidio Dance Theatre since 2003.

2009 SUMMER DANCE CAMPS

2009-03-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre is now accepting online registration into its exciting and very fun--summer dance education camp program for ages 2-15. The camps are offered on a weekly basis from June 15 through July 30. Please check our website for specific information here. We are pleased to welcome back summer staff favorites, Miss Laura Moir and Mr. Arthur Zhigalov, who will lead the arts & crafts portion of the summer program. Joining our ballet faculty, an array of International dance specialists will present national dances and cultural traditions. We have been offering our camp since 2004! Extended care is available by reservation. Enroll early to receive our choice of week!!!

DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ Featuring Presidio Dance Theatre, May 22 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, SF

2009-03-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

Sherene Melania, Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of Presidio Dance Theatre is pleased to welcome 2009 Spring Season Guest Choreographers: Robert de Warren, Avtandil Kurashvili, Ahmet Luleci, and Wan-Chao Wang. Tickets are on sale (Box office: 415 561-3997). $100 Reserved VIP Sponsor Seating; $50 Reserved Preferred Seating; and $35 General Admission. Ms. Melania will introduce the Guest Choreographers at Presidio Performing Arts Foundation's annual Spring Benefit at the San Francisco Yacht Club on April 30 from 6-9pm. Please call for invitation: 415 561-3958.

Judy Bretschneider won the Jefferson Award in 2006 for Public Service

2009-03-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

http://cbs5.com/jeffersonawards/Presidio.Dance.Theatre.2.440247.html
Please view Kate Kelly's CBS 5 article and 3 minute & 25 sec news report above called "Judy Bretschneider: Teaching Children To Dance." Judy Bretscheider received the 2006 Jefferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service, presented by Sam Beard of Washington DC for her volunteer work with PPAF. The Jefferson Award is considered the Nobel Prize for Community Service, initiated by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. After extensive travel in Russia, Germany, France, and the United States, studying highly regarded performing arts programs, Judy co-founded the PPAF in 1998. She has designed the award-winning DANCE OUT! program, matching University of San Francisco performing arts and social justice students with professional artists, working together at underserved schools to teach and preserve cultural authenticity in dance productions.

Presidio Dance Theatre International Tour To Russia - Summer Tour

2009-03-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

Presidio Dance Theatre was invited by the Russian Federation, Ministry of Culture to perform in the famed White Nights Festival, 300th Anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo in June 2008. The company was hosted by the Royal School of Imperial Ballet and performed at the Palaces of the Tsars and the Pushkin International Festival, where 22,000 Russians attended the festivities!
Excursions included the Mariinsky Theatre, home of the Kirov Ballet; Vaganova School and Museum, Hermitage Museum, Pavlovsk Palace, Peterhof Palace; and Catherine Palace, where the group enjoyed a sumptuous garden party Welcome to Russia!. The Ministry of Culture provided English-speaking educational tour guides and sponsored all entrances for dancers and accompanying parents. It was the trip of a lifetime! Please enjoy our slideshow here

Presidio Dance Theatre tours & performs in Russia

2009-03-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

At the invitation of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Culture, Presidio Dance Theatre performed for the famed White Nights Festival and 300th Anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo. Enjoy our tour and performances. This film was created by Arthur Zhigalev for a souvenir of our tour in June 2008.

Presidio Dance Theatre Welcomes International Artist AVTANDIL KURASHVILI

2009-03-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

As a former member of the Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili, Avtandil, was recognized as one of the company's most talented and creative solo dancers, whose innovations were elaborated in his marvelous artistic solos. He has performed all over the world and in almost every state of the USA! Before moving to San Francisco, Avtandil held the position of choreographer for the Georgian State Children's Ensemble, Lashqari. We are very happy to have him join us on the stage this season and also create a Georgian Dance workshop for the community. We look forward to collaborating with Avtandil!

Robert & Jacqueline de Warren, Spring Season Resident Choreographers

2009-03-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

Artistic Director Sherene Melania is pleased to welcome internationally renowned choreographer, Robert de Warren and his wife, Jacqueline, who assists him in his work. Mr. de Warren will create new pieces for our DANCING ACROSS CULTURES™ Repertoire. The couple will arrive in April, and be PPAF's Guests of Honor, at the annual spring benefit at the St. Francis Yacht Club on April 30th. They will attend our Spring premiere performances at the SF War Memorial Opera House on May 4th and Palace of Fine Arts on May 22.

Check out the de Warren website.

http://robertdewarren.org/

Sherene Melania performs Spanish Dance

2009-03-02T23:21:00.000-08:00

Check out this beautiful performance by Sherene Melania with Victoria Andujar which was put on by the Presidio Dance Theatre in San Francisco back in 2007

Sherene Melania performing at the British Museum

2009-03-02T23:15:00.000-08:00

Check out Sherene Melania performing at the British Museum on April 20, 2008.

Anahita Ghiai-Chamlou Kama Form Demo

2009-03-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

Check out Anahita Ghiai-Chamlou giving a Kong Fu Kama Form Demo. She is not only a great dancer/student with the Presidio Dance Theatre but she is also part of Teacher Master Bryan Kula Fung Team:Team Aloha San Francisco - Twice California Grand Champion Style: Kong Fu Kama Form

Costume Designs from Kyrgyzstan

2009-03-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

Anna Korotysheva, Presidio Dance Theatre Artistic Consultant

2009-02-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

Anna Korotysheva meets with Presidio Dance Theatre's Artistic Director Sherene Melania to plan Spring Season 2009. Since 2005, Ms. Korotysheva has been working with Presidio Dance Theatre in all aspects of creative consultation. She is a dance education expert in Vaganova pedagogy and classical choreography. She will oversee Presidio Dance Theatre's spring costume designs and construction, and will also contribute to the 2009 Dancing Across Culturestm study guide for students. Recently retired from a lifelong career with the prestigious Kirov Ballet (22 seasons!) Anya is now living in Finland with her musician husband, Jerry Hoffman. She is looking forward to working with Finnish children, sharing her knowledge of the dance and arts enrichment. Anna enjoys watching the progress of Presidio Dance Theatre students! Anya invites you to tour St. Petersburg with her....click here and you can retrace our tour!!!!

Matise and Presidio Dance Theatre at the Hermitage State Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia

2009-02-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company members enjoyed touring the Hermitage Museum and viewing dance paintings by renowned artists. This was a favorite!!! Pictured: Alison Shimmon, Mia Blaine, Madeleine Lamm, and Tabitha Block.

Presidio Dance Theatre Academy Preschoolers Ready to Take Center Stage!

2009-02-27T13:02:00.000-08:00

Artistic Director Sherene Melania is working with Preschool students to prepare for Presidio Dance Theatre's Annual Spring Showcase Recital, May 22 at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Mayor Newsom Celebrates Norouz-Persian New Year's with Presidio Dance Theatre at City Hall

2009-02-24T22:24:00.000-08:00

Artistic Director Sherene Melania presented the good luck "Goldfish" (Alyssa Kwan, Anahita Ghiai-Chamlou, Corinne Pelosi, Tabitha Block, and Arynn Kwan) to the Mayor at a special ceremony celebrating Persian New Year's! 800 guests enjoyed the music of composer Nejad and his orchestra. Also photographed, Sahar Hojat and Tara Pandeya, Presidio Dance Theatre guest artists.

2009 DANCE OUT! Four Locations----------Record-breaking number of students!

2009-02-24T21:15:00.000-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre's DANCE OUT! education and outreach program expanded this session to include 4 locations at Robert Louis Stevenson School (Sunset District); Lafayette School (Richmond District); New Traditions (Panhandle); Presidio Dance Theatre Academy (Marina District). For the 11th year, DANCE OUT! is offered to K-5th graders at no cost each school semester. Currently, nearly 150 boys and girls are receiving free dance classes two times per week. The school year will end with DANCE OUT! students performing at the Presidio Dance Theatre's annual Spring Showcase Recital at the Palace of Fine Arts, May 22. Participating students attend: Lilienthal, Sunset, Peabody, Cobb, New Traditions, Lafayette, Feinstein, Francis Scott Key, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lawton, Jefferson, Ulloa, and Alamo elementary schools. This program is funded in part by the California Arts Council/National Endowment for the Arts and matched by the Jackson and Keon Family Funds.

Presidio Dance Theatre was recently featured in the San Francisco Examiner

2009-02-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

This was taken from the San Francisco Examiner. It was published on Tuesday December 9, 2008

Check out this Article about the Presidio Dance Theatre Academy featured in Dance Teacher magazine October 2008 issue

2009-02-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

Click on the image above to enlarge the article. Bay Area parents recently chose the Presidio Dance Theatre Academy as San Francisco's "Best Artsy Program" for Nickelodeon's ParentsConnect's First Annual Parents' Picks Awards. Check out this awards page Presidio Dance Theatre won the Best Artsy Class for Teens here.

Presidio Dance Theatre Welcomes Julia Zharova, Artist and Teacher

2009-02-23T17:10:00.001-08:00

Presidio Dance Theatre is pleased to welcome Julia Zharova to our dance company and teaching staff. Julia is from Russia and studied dance at the Moscow Choreographic School. Following graduation, she entered the prestigious Stanislavsky Theatre and performed roles in the ballets of Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty and others. She toured internationally with the company. As a graduate of Gitis, Julia earned a B.A. in Dance Choreography and classical ballet pedagogy. Her first performance with Presidio Dance Theatre will be in May at the Opera House and Palace of Fine Arts. Julia lives in SF with her husband and 2 year-old daughter.