Dance Mission Theater: Grrrl Brigade

The GRRRL Brigade gets chosen for "Best Of the Bay 2012"!
SF Bay Guardian: Best of the Bay 2012: BEST ALL-AROUND GRRRL POWER
July 25, 2012

Grrrl Brigade Contract: To download the contract, please click here.

The GRRRL Brigade
The GRRRL Brigade is an intensive dance/leadership development program designed to provide high quality dance training, performance opportunities, and a sense of self-empowerment for San Francisco's girls ages 9 to 18. Our goal is to give the girls, their parents, and our audience the inspiration, magic, and hope only evocative dance theater can spark in creating a just and peaceful world.

The girls are instructed by some of the San Francisco Bay Area's leading dance and taiko artists. They take weekly classes in Modern-Jazz, Afro-Cuban Modern, Hip Hop and Taiko (Japanese drumming) from September to May and are encouraged to create their own choreography. The GRRRL Brigade performs around the Bay Area and in Ukiah each year including "The Revolutionary Nutcracker Sweetie: The Kidz Version", an alternative take on the holiday classic presented at Brava Theater; and a spring show at Dance Mission Theater written and choreographed by Dance Brigade staff and the girls, focusing on issues facing girls today and honoring great women past and present.

The GRRRL Brigade was founded in 2004 by Dance Brigade to extend its mission of building community through the arts by creating and teaching dance-theater that explores complex issues confronting contemporary Americans. The program originally for girls 13 - 18 years received such great support and encouragement from the families and our audiences that in 2006 we expanded to include girls 9 - 12 years old. Starting with 10 girls in 2004, we currently now have over 50 participants.

One of our moms wrote...
GRRRL Brigade

"[My Daughter] has learned so much at Dance Mission, and has developed confidence and self esteem along the way. This [program] reinforces that she has something to offer as a person and something to say as a dancer. Thank you!" - 2009

How do I Join?
GRRRLs interested in joining the GRRRL Brigade should email dmyouthprogram@gmail.com and speak with Leila Baradaran, Youth Program Manager/Grrrl Brigade Manager. In-class auditions are held each fall in the first week of class. Grrrl Brigade & Jr. grrrl Brigade Rep class is a twice a week commitment (mondays & wednesdays). Students are required to attend both days to participate. All classes take place at Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th Street, SF CA 94110, across from the 24th and Mission BART Station. 415-826-kids (5437).

Classes in the various disciplines are held at Dance Mission. Students participating receive discounts on additional classes and are eligible to sign up for sliding scale or full scholarships. Financial Aid forms are available at the front desk of Dance Mission Theater.

See Grrrl Brigade perform!

The GRRRL Brigade is partially funded in part by the San Francisco Foundation, DCYF, and Team Up for Youth.