Behold The Gift
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, dance goers have many wonderful Holiday performances — from professional companies to local community groups — to choose from. I had a chance recently to see a local group — the Behold Dance Collective – perform at a local tree lighting ceremony. Behold Dance is a local, community based group that truly embraces the Spirit of the Season and encourages dancers of all ages — whether taking class or providing opportunities for performing. This weekend they perform “Behold The Gift” in the Temple Theatre at the Oakland LDS Interstake Center, 4770 Lincoln Avenue, with 2 shows. With poignant choreography and music celebrating the life of Christ, “Behold The Gift” celebrates significant moments in His life and visit to ancient America.
Mindi Wade, founder and Artistic Director, told me the idea for her collective grew primarily out of the first performances of “Behold The Gift” at the Temple Theatre, which she originally choreographed for adult dancers. From these beginnings, it became the Behold Dance Collective, which now houses both an adult company and a youth company under the umbrella of the Collective, a non-profit organization “dedicated to producing dance art that inspires individuals and unifies communities. We dance to honor the joys and challenges of life.”
Every year they perform “Behold The Gift” at Christmas and in the Spring they sponsor Tapestry, a Dance Event and invite different dance companies from all genres, professional and non-professional, to perform. Producing, directing and performing the shows is a community effort and Mindi enlists the help of other professionals, teachers and members of the community. She’d like to thank Jennie Smith, Vicki, and Lynn for their outreach efforts for autistic children; and Kathryn for her help in directing Tapestry. Throughout the year, they also perform at local arts and dance festivals.
With an extensive dance background in ballet, modern and more, Mindi teaches children’s classes at her studios in Oakley, where she also employs several other teachers as well. She offers primarily ballet, modern, jazz and tap and also offers creative movement classes for children with disabilities. In the coming year, she hopes to expand both her school and her youth and adult companies.
“Behold The Gift” performances will be this Sunday, Dec. 18th, with 2 shows — at 7pm and 8pm at the Temple Theatre. Click here for directions. Performances are free (no tickets required), however, donations are welcomed at the door. For more information on the Behold Dance Collective, click here. If you have questions for Mindi, please email her here.