April 25 – May 4, 2025

all dance, all free, all week

10 days of free dance events celebrating our dynamic and diverse Bay Area dance community. Watch inspiring artists, practice your own style, or discover a new groove. Whether hip hop, salsa, aerial, folk, modern, Bollywood, ballet, pole, West African, or many more – There is something for everyone. Participating each year is easy and everything is free.

Join us for the Kickoff Celebration at Union Square

Dance Week kicks off with a family friendly community celebration on April 25th, 12-1pm at Union Square!

Rhythm & Motion will lead One Dance, a routine designed for all participants to perform together. Watch the One Dance tutorial video to learn the moves in advance, or show up and follow along! All are welcome. Register to receive updates about more kickoff activities and event reminders.

Free to Register

Dancers’ Group is pleased to announce the return of Bay Area Dance Week (BADW), the beloved 10-day celebration of dance and community. This year’s festivities take place April 25–May 4, 2025, at locations across San Francisco, the East Bay, North Bay, and South Bay. Last year, the festival saw 16,500 attendees across 200 events, highlighting the region’s vibrant dance scene. This year BADW promises an equally dynamic lineup of workshops, performances, open rehearsals, and classes—all free and open to the public. Whether its hip hop, salsa, aerial, folk, modern, Bollywood, ballet, pole, or West African dance, BADW celebrates diversity and inclusivity, welcoming participants of all backgrounds, abilities, and experience levels.

The festival kicks off on Friday, April 25, at 12pm in Union Square with One Dance, a participatory group dance and signature highlight of the festival led by Rhythm & Motion instructor Dudley Flores. This marks the return of the kick-off to Union Square after several years in other locations. Supported by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development and SF Rec and Park, the move back reinforces the impact artists can have in activating urban spaces. Participants can learn the moves of One Dance beforehand by visiting https://www.bopsidy.com/h/badw.

Bay Area Dance Week Calendar

We are thrilled to have the Bay Area Dance Week kick-off celebration return downtown this year,” said Sarah Dennis Phillips, Executive Director of the San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development. “This joyful event will draw hundreds of people to Union Square to dance, connect, and be part of downtown’s energy. This is precisely the kind of dynamic, diverse, and community-driven activity that not only enlivens our public spaces but reinforces San Francisco’s reputation as a global arts hub.”

“What makes this event truly special is that it not only showcases San Francisco’s dedication to culture but also highlights the incredible talent of our local artists—all set against the backdrop of the city’s vibrant heart,” said SF Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “Our public spaces have long served as venues for artistic expression and witnessing this innovative event return to Union Square feels like a full-circle moment.”

“Over the past 43 years Dancers' Group has been sharing its belief that everyone is a dancer,” said Wayne Hazzard, Executive Director of Dancers’ Group. “Bay Area Dance Week embodies this love of movement in a city that is always on the move.”

Throughout the festival, participants of all ages and experience levels will have the opportunity to engage with dance in diverse forms.This year’s program includes highlights such as LOVING THE AIR, an apparatus-based dance class with Jo Kreiter, a Philippine Dance Workshop on Subanen Living Traditions by Parangal Dance, Dancing in the Park SF with Mark Foehringer Dance Project, the 16th Annual Dance-a-Rama 2025, featuring performances in a variety of dance styles ranging from modern dance to belly dance, and the USF Dance Ensemble Spring Concert, with performances by USF dance students. More details on the festival will be announced at the end of March and throughout April.

The History of Bay Area Dance Week

National Dance Week was founded in 1981 to increase awareness of dance and its contributions to our culture. The first Bay Area Dance Week (BADW) festival grew out of a public dialogue in 1998, when dance artists, administrators, and organizations came together to explore how best to spotlight Bay Area dance. The festival that emerged took a national initiative and imbued it with the innovative and inclusive spirit of the Bay Area. As the largest per capita center for dance in the US, the Bay Area's festivities have been the most extensive and best attended celebrations in the country since BADW's inception. Each year, over 200 dance organizations and artists present events during Bay Area Dance Week, involving more than 2,500 artists and 20,000 attendees. Dancers’ Group presents the annual event.