All of us at Rhythm & Motion are full of gratitude for everyone who joined us at Yerba Buena Gardens for our 5th annual Dance Day, once again presented in partnership with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival!
This year, in addition to celebrating our incredible Bay Area dance community, we dedicated the day to the life and legacy of R&M founder Consuelo Faust: her love for the Bay Area dance community, her commitment to supporting local and international artists, and her belief that anyone can dance.
The day kicked off with five dance classes filling the Gardens with hundreds of people of all ages and levels moving, learning, and dancing together. The afternoon celebration then began with a New Orleans-style brass band, a nod to Consuelo's roots and the vibrant music and street performances that inspired her lifelong love of dance and music.It was a fitting start to an afternoon of extraordinary performances by Bay Area artists, celebrating the richness and diversity of our dance community.
And in a full-circle moment, we ended the day with A Moment, A Love, a special performance by 35 R&M students, teachers, and former teachers, followed by a joyful dance-along with hundreds of people joining in to dance My Darlin' New Orleans, an R&M routine choreographed by Consuelo in 1995. It was a beautiful day of movement, art, culture, connection, and joy – a celebration of our dance community and everything Consuelo held dear.
To all the artists, teachers, performers, volunteers, and participants: thank you! The joy, spirit and generosity you brought to the Gardens made the day a true celebration of everything we love about our dance community.
A tremendous thank you to the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and their entire team for their partnership in making this event possible year after year. We are so grateful for their care, collaboration, support, and trust in us to bring this celebration to life.
Now, let’s keep the Dance Day joy going...
If you missed the day or simply want to relive some of the magic, here are a few highlights from our morning dance classes:
And check out the 35 R&M dancers who filled the Gardens with R&M's signature joy and energy in a special performance of a piece created especially for Dance Day:
Stay tuned for more footage from the afternoon performances!
And the celebration doesn't have to end there! The incredible artists who shared their work with us are part of what makes the Bay Area dance community so vibrant. We encourage you to continue supporting them by attending their performances, taking their classes, and following their work:
DANCE DAY TEACHING ARTISTS INFO
DANCE DAY PERFORMING ARTISTS INFO
FLASHMOB AT NOE VALLEY TOWN SQUARE - JOIN US!
October 24 - Flash Mob at Noe Valley Town Square
6:30 - 8pm
Noe Valley Town Square
24th St., between Sanchez and Vicksburg
San Francisco, CA
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Noe Valley Town Square, home to our free monthly outdoor classes since 2022, with a flashmob performance of R&M's Pride Routine to Sylvester's "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," followed by a follow-along disco dance for attendess to join in. This event will also honor District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman as he completes his term as supervisor and Board President.
Attendance at this rehearsal is highly recommended:
Sunday, October 18 1-2pm at ODC
Video of the choreography will be shared with everyone who signs up.
Thank you to those that have already signed up...those that would like to join us, please sign up by Monday, October 19.
INSTRUCTOR NEWS
Catch Instructor Leesha Zieber dancing with other SF State Dance alumni in Tadori.
Tadori is presented by ayanadancearts, led by director Ayana Yonesaka, a dance artist born and raised in Sapporo, Japan. Tadori was first created and performed in Sapporo in 2025, and the piece is now making its way back to San Francisco, joined by her longtime Bay Area collaborators for its first cross-Pacific premier.
Sunday, November 1, 12:30 and 3:30pm
San Francisco County Fair Building — Auditorium
1199 9th Avenue, Golden Gate Park, SF
More info
Check out Instructor Maggie Connard in this year's Panto in the Presidio: Alice in Wonderland. When a forgotten birthday sends Alice tumbling into a topsy-turvy San Francisco Wonderland, she wanders a world where the rules grow curiouser and curiouser. Join Alice as she meets a cast of chaotic characters, matches wits against a mad queen, and proves that growing up doesn’t mean letting go of your imagination.
Join thousands of audience members who have made the magic of Panto in the Presidio their holiday musical theatre tradition.
Alice in Wonderland
Nov 28 - Dec 27, 2026
Presidio Theater
More info