![\"yvonne-m-portra-top\"](\"http:\/\/www.danceanywhere.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/yvonne-m-portra-top.jpg\")
<\/a>Yvonne M Portra<\/p><\/div>\n
Each January ALTERNATIVA and Alternative conservatory start the New Year FRESH with a resurgence of creative expression and inspiration, \u201can abundance of body-based art, action and interaction\u201d. Led by Kathleen Hermesdorf, The FRESH festival is a gathering of dancers and performance artists from throughout the world who meet in San Francisco for performances, training, discourse and community events.<\/p>\n
FRESH 2014 includes the performance work of Sara Shelton Mann, Christine Bonansea, Kathleen Hermesdorf and Jeff Curtis, among others. Weekend two (1\/10- 1\/12) presented the new and somewhat raw work of artists, Brontez Purnel, Violeta Luna, Sara Kraft and Anna Martine Whitehead. Kraft\u2019s work played on a duality between the textual and the visual, through her live cinema installation, in which her performance sometimes came in direct collision against the visual media with which she experimented. Whitehead\u2019s haunting piece spoke directly to feelings of loss and death surrounding an individual as she sought a more hopeful tomorrow. The evening of performance art revealed what these artists perceive as primary struggles and dilemmas of the current moment, prompting audience reflection on personal challenges and perhaps hopes for the New Year.<\/span><\/p>\n From FRESH points of View<\/p><\/div>\n A highlight of the FRESH festival is the opportunity for emerging artists to showcase their work. The FRESH mix and FRESH Outro showcase the explorations and choreographic work of the dancers participating in the intensive. As part of the festival, the Kinetech Interactive Media lab is open both Tuesdays (January 7th and 14th), offering dancers an opportunity to view and engage with the work of the dance- technology company that integrates cutting edge digital devices and computer programming with exquisite movement and visuals.<\/p>\n Kinetech Interactive Media lab<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n FRESH festival \u201cis an arena for ideas\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n …it encourages and thrives upon community building and cross-pollination\u201d.<\/p>\n Artists discuss prominent topics in dance and art making in 2014 with lectures and panels by Keith Hennessy and Monique Jenkins. If not at these panels, artists will discuss their thoughts and inspirations while grooving to the beats of Albert Mathias at one of the festival\u2019s mixers for participants and community members.<\/p>\n The Fresh Festival offers a vibrant and inspiring setting for individuals to see new work, engage with their personal creative practice, and build community with a diverse artist community. The festival offers the perfect spark to set oneself on a fulfilling artistic path in 2014.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss out! There is still one more week of FRESH Festival. Watch a performance, take a class, start your New Year creatively!<\/p>\n<\/a>
<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>\n