Dear RAWdance community, Over the course of its 21 years, RAWdance has established itself as a formidable network for artists and audiences — transforming theaters, public spaces, and communities on two coasts. This year, that work is at risk. In 2024, foundation giving in the performing arts declined by 41%, to a total well below pre-pandemic levels*. This year’s government cuts further threaten RAWdance and the broader field, ceasing funding to us as well as the theaters, festivals, and schools who commission us. We already had to slash our 2025 budget to 2/3 that of 2024. And as we look at 2026, we’re navigating even deeper cuts. We are fighting to continue supporting our artists and to preserve the platform that we’ve built to create, share, and elevate innovative dance. With a tiny staff of 2.5 people generating all of RAWdance’s performances, programs, and original work, our overhead is extremely modest and there just isn’t much budget room to spare. If you believe in RAWdance — the work we make and the arts community we nourish — we ask you to donate today. Since the beginning, we’ve worked hard to punch above our weight. We’ve put our creativity to work, stretching small budgets to create powerful dance that taps deep into the imagination and the soul. Over time, we’ve extended our limited resources beyond our own creations to serve as a nexus for dance artists to experiment and grow, a hub for audiences to experience embodied art in community, and a source for breathtaking dances that both delight and challenge. Today RAWdance is:
a Presenter. As of next week, in 2025, we will have shared works by 24 choreographers on both coasts, featuring over 65 dancers. At least half of this year’s artists are LGBTQ+. Two thirds are artists of color. They have fused contemporary dance with drag, ritual, dance theater, hip hop, Butoh, performance art, and more. We proudly and explicitly present diverse artistic voices — artists who are undocumented, trans, activist, of differing abilities, who span multiple generations, and bring unique points of view.
a Producer. In addition to our long running CONCEPT series salon, now a mainstay in both San Francisco and the Hudson Valley, this year we forged new relationships with Yerba Buena Partnership and The Hudson Eye to bring big, bold, joyous dances to downtown SF as well as an intimate evening of duets to Hudson, NY. All free, public, and artist-driven.
an Incubator. The second cohort of RAWdance’s Radiate Fellowship, which supports emerging BIPOC dance makers, took flight this year, capping 18 months of paid support for artists Kim Requesto and gizeh muñiz. And of course, RAWdance’s identity is always rooted in being a Creator. Behind the scenes, we’ve been putting the pieces together towards exciting projects in 2026. We’re thrilled to announce our next theatrical season at ODC Theater, February 5-7, featuring three Bay Area premieres and a cast of 10 stellar performers, plus a new music commission. In the fall, we’ll be headed back to 836M Gallery for the development of a new installation piece inspired by the myth of Narcissus and Echo, freshly relevant in
this period of growing reflective technologies. The CONCEPT series returns to both coasts and we’re cooking up new projects in the Hudson Valley. You — our community — are also RAWdance. And in our 21 years, we have never before been this urgently reliant on the generosity of our community. Thank you for your support. |
