Dance Day at Yerba Buena Gardens - THIS WEEKEND!

Join us for a full day of free dance classes in the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens! Come for an hour or stay all day!

WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 10am-3pm 
WHERE: Yerba Buena Gardens: Mission St. bet. 3rd & 4th Streets, SF, CA
COST: FREE

With the belief that anyone can dance and a commitment to sharing the joy, intensity and skill of dance with everyone, Rhythm & Motion and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival present Dance Day! Yerba Buena Gardens transforms into an outdoor dance center as R&M creates a space where participants can sample dance in a variety of forms and flavors with some of the Bay Area’s most talented and inviting teaching artists. 

Whether you are new to dance or a seasoned professional, this event is open to everyone! Bring a friend, comfortable shoes and your curiosity for movement. Choose your schedule and try something new. This is your day to dance!

Event Schedule

Registration not required, but appreciated. Come dance with us!

Save the Date for Dance Day 2023 + learn the basics with Essentials

Coming Soon - Dance Day 2023!

Join us for a full day of free dance classes in the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens!

WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 10am-3pm (Come for an hour or stay all day!)

WHERE: Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. between 3rd & 4th Sts. San Francisco, CA

COST: FREE

With the belief that anyone can dance and a commitment to sharing the joy, intensity and skill of dance with everyone, Rhythm & Motion and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival present Dance Day! Yerba Buena Gardens transforms into an outdoor dance center as R&M creates a space where participants can sample dance in a variety of forms and flavors with some of the Bay Area’s most talented and inviting teachers. Classes are one hour long and include Cuban Salsa, West Coast Swing, Jazz Funk, Bollywood, Rhythm & Motion, Soul Line Dance, Dancehall and more. At midday, dancers are invited to the open dance floor in the Esplanade with live music from Son Chévere playing a distinctive blend of traditional Cuban son, bolero, changui and cha cha cha.

Whether you are new to dance or a seasoned professional, this event is open to everyone! Bring a friend, comfortable shoes and your curiosity for movement - stay for an hour or the full day. This is your day to dance!

Registration not required, but appreciated. Come dance with us!

Outside of SF? R&M has you covered

You don't have to be in San Francisco to enjoy Rhythm & Motion! Did you know we have classes in Berkeley, Santa Cruz, San Diego and Portland, OR?

Include us in your West Coast travel plans, or tell a friend. Let's dance!

Move deeper with Rhythm & Motion: Essentials

What is Rhythm & Motion Essentials?

San Francisco Magazine said, "Dance classes are intimidating, but Rhythm & Motion Essentials not!"

This class is ideal for new and experienced students alike. Get an invigorating workout while going deeper into the steps and fundamentals of Rhythm & Motion choreography.

Class begins with choreographed dances that warm-up the body, then, continues with cardio routines which are then repeated, giving the opportunity for more practice and to go deeper with the movement. More time is devoted to breaking down material while still maintaining an energizing and exhilarating experience.

Whether you are brand new to Rhythm & Motion, or are a seasoned veteran, bring a friend and break a sweat with one of our Rhythm & Motion Essentials classes at ODC in San Francisco :

Let's dance!

Instructor News

Instructor Tamika Banks will be wowing audiences in Denver, Colorado with Sister Magic Productions at Meow Wolf's Vortex, an outdoor music experience, August 25 - 27.

Know anyone in the area? Spread the word!

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and high-kicking in A Chorus Line at SF Playhouse, playing June 22 through September 16. 

Exploring the inner lives and bittersweet ambitions of performers, A Chorus Line captures the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition. Winner of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Winner of nine Tony Awards, four Drama Desk awards, three Obie Awards in 1976, and a Special Gold Tony Award in 1984 in honor of becoming Broadway’s longest-running musical. (Maggie will not be performing the evenings of 8/13, 8/20, 8/27, 9/1 and 9/8)

More info.

*If you would like to come, but cost is an issue, please reach out.

NEW classes in SF & Berkeley + welcome our new instructors!

Welcome to our NEW Rhythm & Motion instructors!

Have you noticed some new names on the schedule or have you taken class with someone you don't recognize? We are excited to introduce you to the Bay Area's newest Rhythm & Motion instructors. Please welcome Pilar Marsh, Sarah Emmons, Nehemiah Aldrich and Liz Muller! They each bring mounds of passion, expertise, fun and joy to their teaching and we can't wait for you to experience their magic.

Please join us in welcoming them with open arms by checking out their classes, introducing yourselves and by sharing your generous spirit and favorite dance moves!

NEW classes in SF and Berkeley

Come bust a move, break a sweat and have a blast at our NEW R&M classes in SF and Berkeley.

SUNDAYS

THURSDAYS

We hope to see you at one of these new classes, or one of our many outdoor, online or in-person options. Let's dance!

Bay Area Dance Week - THANK YOU!

Last April brought the return of Bay Area Dance Week (BADW), a 10-day festival celebrating our vibrant Bay Area dance community. Rhythm & Motion had the pleasure of partnering with Dancers' Group, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, World Arts West and Bopsidy to present the glorious return of the beloved BADW kick-off event. If you missed it, or want to relive that morning, check out the BADW kick-off event livestream featuring: an R&M warmup, R&M's One Dance, and performances by Bay Area Favorites, Arenas Dance Company and Fogo Na Roupa!

That week, R&M also offered 7 free classes - indoors, outdoors and online in SF and Berkeley - bringing together over 210 smiling (and sweaty) dancers! 

To everyone who joined us for R&M's BADW events in-person or remotely, who brought a friend to dance, helped us spread the word about what we do, or simply watched a video or read about the events on your social channels or in a newsletter - THANK YOU! Your support means the world to us. You are Rhythm & Motion, and our classes and events are as joyous as they are because of all of you! Thank you for being a part of this community and let's keep these good vibes flowing all year round! 

Instructor News

Go see Dudley Flores, Becca Selin, Leila Easa and many of your fellow R&M students perform at the 45th annual Carnaval San Francisco, the largest multicultural festival in the West Coast. They will be dancing in the Grand Parade with Latin Dance Grooves, contingent #31 (co-led by R&M teaching alum Elizabeth Soberanes and Dudley Flores), on Sunday, May 28 from 9:30 - 2:30pm.

The Grand Parade boasts a 68–contingent lineup, with over 3,000 artists representing and celebrating the Latino, Caribbean and African Diasporic traditions of the Mission District and the San Francisco Bay Area. 

More info.

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and high-kicking in A Chorus Line at SF Playhouse, playing June 22 through September 16. 

Exploring the inner lives and bittersweet ambitions of performers, A Chorus Line captures the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition. Winner of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Winner of nine Tony Awards, four Drama Desk awards, three Obie Awards in 1976, and a Special Gold Tony Award in 1984 in honor of becoming Broadway’s longest-running musical.

More info.

*If you would like to come, but cost is an issue, please reach out.

"One Dance" is up + dance outdoors, price changes and more

Bay Area Dance Week is Back!

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, April 22, 2023. After a 3-year hiatus, Bay Area Dance Week (BADW for short) is back and Rhythm & Motion is proud to partner alongside Dancers' Group, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and World Arts West to present the big public opening event at the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens.

Join hundreds of dancers at our BADW favorite flashmob-style performance, "One Dance," featuring dances to Pink's Never Gonna Not Dance Again and the inspiring Jerusalema by Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode. After we dance, stay for free performances and classes celebrating our vibrant Bay Area dance community! No experience required. Everyone is welcome.

Thank you for joining us at City Dance Studios!

THANK YOU to all of the R&Mers who came out on March 26 for our special day of team-taught R&M classes at the beautiful City Dance Studios in San Francisco. We had the best time dancing with all of you!

Extra special thank you to the amazing team of teachers who made the day extra special: Nehemiah Aldrich, Corie Altaffer, Tamika Banks, Heather Bornfeld, Katie Clay, Sarah Emmons, Dudley Flores, Stephanie Forster, Jessica Lutes, Leigh Marz, Liz Mueller, Peter Rothblatt, Becca Selin, Rebecca Setziol.

Check out a few snippets of the classes in the video above, and give our teachers some love by checking out their classes in our ongoing class schedule. Learn more about our team and their classes at rhythmandmotion.com.

Reminder about the class price changes at ODC 

For those of you who dance with us at the ODC Dance Commons, a reminder that starting April 1, ODC and Rhythm & Motion will be raising our class prices for the first time since April 2019. This increase will allow us to provide more equitable pay to our instructors while helping to cover the rising costs of providing the services, amenities, and health and safety practices at the ODC Dance Commons. 

ODC and Rhythm & Motion remain committed to the belief that anyone should be able to dance, and we will continue to make dance classes accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If price is a barrier, please consider applying for our Arts Access and/or work exchange programs.

We are grateful to continue dancing with you and thank you for your dedication to our community. 

Instructor news

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and high-kicking in A Chorus Line at SF Playhouse, playing June 22 through September 9. 

Exploring the inner lives and bittersweet ambitions of performers, A Chorus Line captures the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition. Winner of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Winner of nine Tony Awards, four Drama Desk awards, three Obie Awards in 1976, and a Special Gold Tony Award in 1984 in honor of becoming Broadway’s longest-running musical.

Buy Tickets

All-Star Rhythm & Motion Classes - Sunday, March 26

A rental will be taking over the ODC Dance Commons and Rhythm & Motion will be moving our in-person classes to the beautiful 3000 sq. foot airy City Dance Studios for one day only. To make our one-day move a little more festive, we’re hosting three team-taught Rhythm & Motion classes. (Think of them as three mini R&M All Star classes!) We'll have door prize giveaways to add to the fun. Come dance with some of your favorite (and soon-to-be-favorite) teachers!

See the schedule and learn more here:

March 26 All Star R&M Classes at City Dance

Coming Soon: Rhythm & Motion classes return to Yerba Buena Gardens!

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to continue our partnership with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival to offer free weekly R&M Fusion classes on Wednesday mornings at the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens (YBG). Since 2021, these weekly outdoor classes have delighted park visitors, neighborhood residents, community groups, and R&M regulars with a dose of joy through dance. Mark your calendars...classes will begin March 1, and continue through October. Come dance with us!

Dance outdoors in Noe Valley

For those ready to dance outdoors on the weekend, our next free Fusion class in Noe Valley is next Saturday, February 18 at 4pm. Expect to get your heart pumping and have your spirits lifted. Hope to see you there!

Dance with R&M Teachers-in-Training this weekend at ODC!

The latest cohort of Rhythm & Motion teacher trainees have been hard at work honing their skills and it's time to let them shine.

We'd love for you to join us this weekend for two separate FREE R&M Fusion Essentials classes, both at ODC in San Francisco.

Saturday, February 11 from 12 - 1:15pm with Sarah Emmons 
Sunday, February 12 from 11:45 - 1pm with Liz Mueller

Sign up at ODC.dance or on the Mindbody app.

Stay tuned for more classes from our other trainees!

Any questions please email info@rhythmandmotion.com

Instructor news

Join instructors Yayoi Kambara and Leesha Zieber for the premiere performances of IKKAI means once: a transplanted pilgrimage, an immersive project choreographed by Yayoi Kambara.

Weaving together modern dance, Obon folk dance and taiko, IKKAI explores the struggles for reparations and healing, and current/future solidarities with communities facing the violence of xenophobic policies.

February 15 and 17 at Dance Mission Theater in SF.

Buy Tickets

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and high-kicking in A Chorus Line at SF Playhouse, playing June 22 through September 9. 

Exploring the inner lives and bittersweet ambitions of performers, A Chorus Line captures the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition. Winner of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Winner of nine Tony Awards, four Drama Desk awards, three Obie Awards in 1976, and a Special Gold Tony Award in 1984 in honor of becoming Broadway’s longest-running musical.

Buy Tickets

R&M the next two weekends in Portland, OR✨

FREE Rhythm & Motion classes in Portland, Oregon!

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to be back in Portland, OR at the beautiful Bodyvox Dance Center. Join Dudley Flores and Rena Marie Guidry for 6 FREE R&M Fusion classes the weekends of November 11-13 and November 18-20.

  • Friday, Nov. 11, 9:00-10:00am

  • Saturday, Nov. 12, 9:00-10:00am

  • Sunday, Nov. 13, 9:00-10:00am

  • Friday, Nov. 18, 5:30-6:30pm

  • Saturday, Nov. 19, 9:00-10:00am

  • Sunday, Nov. 20, 9:00-10:00am

We can't wait to see our PDX community again, and share our joy and love of dance with everyone there. Come dance with us and help us share the love by telling a friend!

Learn More

Ready to dance, but not in Portland? Join us for class in-person or online in San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Cruz or San Diego.

We can't wait to dance with you!

Thank you for dancing outdoors at Yerba Buena Gardens... we'll see you in the Spring!

We are still glowing from our last outdoor class of the season at Yerba Buena Gardens. Thank you to those who danced with us outdoors...we can't wait to do it again next spring! A huge shout out to our friends at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival who made the past 8 months of free Wednesday R&M classes possible.

Still want to dance outdoors? Join us on select Saturday afternoons for free outdoor R&M Fusion in Noe Valley Town Square. Our next class is Saturday, November 26 at 4pm. Hope to see you there!

In the Bay Area for the holidays?

We've got you covered with classes 365 days a year! Join us for Rhythm & Motion classes at ODC in San Francisco on every major holiday including, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Stay tuned for info on our Thanksgiving and winter holiday schedules!

Dance with us THIS WEEKEND in Portland, OR

Rhythm & Motion is in Portland, Oregon this weekend!

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to offer three chances to dance for FREE this month in Portland, OR at the beautiful Bodyvox Dance Center. Join R&M Director, Dudley Flores for R&M Fusion this weekend - September 23-25.

  • Friday, September 23, 6pm-7pm

  • Saturday, September 24, 10am-11am

  • Sunday, September 25, 10am-11am

We can't wait to meet the PDX community and share our joy and love of dance with everyone there. Come dance with us and help us share the love by telling a friend!

Free R&M Fusion *this Saturday* in Noe Valley

It's going to be a beautiful day to dance outdoors this Saturday at Noe Valley Town Square. Come join us for our monthly class, this Saturday the 24th at 4pm. Bring a friend and just show up! No pre-registration required.

Looking to dance outside more regularly? Our FREE Wednesday 11am R&M Fusion class in beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens continues through the month of October. Sign up here.

Come join us in the great outdoors!

New Rhythm & Motion Modern class starts this week

Starting Thursday, Sept. 22, join Katie Clay every Thursday for Rhythm & Motion Modern from 5:45-6:45pm at ODC.

We are thrilled to add another R&M Modern offering to the schedule and we look forward to seeing you in class!

Check out our full schedule for all 30 in-person, outdoor and online classes in the Bay Area and beyond. We can't wait to dance with you!

New Classes in SF, Berkeley and Santa Cruz

NEW R&M Fusion and Modern classes at ODC, Berkeley Ballet Theater and Motion Pacific in Santa Cruz

Get excited for four new in-person classes returning to our schedule! Come enjoy the flow of R&M Modern on Thursday evenings at ODC in San Francisco with Katie Clay, welcome back Rena Marie Guidry Sunday mornings at Berkeley Ballet Theater, and dance with Rebecca Setziol twice a week in Santa Cruz. 

Sundays

Tuesdays

Thursdays

For those of you outside of the San Francisco Bay Area...

  • Our San Diego Sunday R&M Fusion class with Adriana Guevara and Michele Bigley is still going strong at the Dorothea Laub Dance Place.

  • Spread the word! R&M will be making an appearance in Portland, OR the weekend of September 23 to the 25th. Stay tuned for more info!

Check out our full schedule for all 30 in-person, outdoor and online classes in the Bay Area and beyond. We can't wait to dance with you!

R&M Fusion 101 - Learn the basics

Love R&M class but craving more information and a breakdown of fundamental steps? Have friends you'd like to introduce to R&M but they feel hesitant to jump into a Fusion class right away?

Join us for R&M Fusion 101: Sunday, September 11th and 18th from 11:15-12:45pm with Dudley Flores at ODC (SIGN UP HERE)

In R&M Fusion 101, we'll draw on a variety of dance forms and music styles found in the Rhythm & Motion Program to learn fundamental movement vocabulary, rhythms and techniques to help individuals build more confidence and find their personal style and flavor...all in a supportive, fun and high-energy learning environment. Be prepared to get sweaty and to learn why Rhythm & Motion has been named San Francisco's Favorite Dance Workout!

Dance Day at the Yerba Buena Gardens was SO MUCH FUN! We are so grateful to the hundreds of you that were able to join us on August 20 for a day of dance and community in the sun.

In a closing talk with her students, Aimee Rose stated it best, “Dance Day brought together some of the Bay Area’s finest teachers and dancers…and that includes all of YOU!”

Tremendous gratitude to all of the teaching artists, musicians and dancers who helped to create all the positive vibes at our outdoor dance center. You were the heart of this event! And deep thanks to the incomparable YERBA BUENA GARDENS FESTIVAL for their partnership and the opportunity to co-present this event at the Gardens!

Did you miss this event, but want to dance outside at the Yerba Buena Gardens? Catch Rhythm & Motion's FREE class every Wednesday from 11am-12pm now through the end of October.

Perform with R&M for the ODC Block Party on July 31

Perform with R&M for the ODC Block Party on July 31

Rhythm & Motion is excited to help our partners at ODC celebrate their 50+ Anniversary with a community dance performance, kicking off their block party on July 31. It's been years since we've had to opportunity to perform together as a community...we cannot wait to kick off ODC's celebration by dancing with you!

How to take part:

  • Learn a dance to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” with the video below from the comfort of your home, and/or see it live in select Rhythm & Motion Dance Workout classes from July 16-July 31.

  • Join us outdoors on July 31 at 12pm at the Dancing in the Street ODC 50+ Summer Block Party! Share your joy and love of dance and help inspire the neighborhood and the block party attendees to get up and bust a move. After we dance, enjoy the other festive sights and sounds the afternoon block party has to offer.

Everyone is welcome and no dance experience is required!
(Because at Rhythm & Motion, we believe anyone can dance!!)

What: R&M kicks off ODC’s 50+ Anniversary Block Party
When: Sunday, July 31. 12pm.
Where: 351 Shotwell St. (between 17th and 18th St) in SF

Save the Date - Saturday, August 20
FREE outdoor Dance Day at Yerba Buena Gardens

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to partner with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival for an entire day of free outdoor classes at Yerba Buena Gardens on Saturday, August 20, from 10am - 3pm.

Enjoy the R&M classes you love, as well as Salsa, Bachata, Dancehall, Body Percussion, Contemporary Dance, Soul Line Dancing and more. Mid-day, join us for an open dance floor featuring live Cuban music by Bay Area quartet, Son Chévere.

Complete schedule of classes and musicians to come!

R&M on TV + performance opportunity + more

R&M featured on "Destination: SF" TV show

Did you see us on TV? Rhythm & Motion was featured on a recent episode of the CBS local series Destination: SF, a food and lifestyle program that highlights the best of what San Francisco has to offer!

The energy was buzzing in Studio B at the ODC Dance Commons during the 8 teacher team-taught R&M class held back in March. It was thrilling to see everyone shine on filming day and in the final segment that aired on May 14. Everyone represented R&M beautifully and we hope you enjoy what you see! Please feel free to leave a comment on the video and share this segment with friends.

Ready to dance with us in the studio, outside or online? See our schedule of over 24 weekly classes in San Francisco, Berkeley and now San Diego!

Read the rest of the June Newsletter here.