ODC Dance Commons: ODC School & Embodiment Project: SEEDS Dance Company in “Breaking Ground”
Join us on a journey of self-discovery and collective empowerment in SEEDS’ newest evening-length production, Breaking Ground!
Breaking Ground brings SEEDS to center stage in a dynamic celebration of creativity, community, and movement. Under the direction of Jenelle Gaerlan and Rama Mahesh Hall, these young artists fuse power, precision, and purpose to push boundaries and tell their stories through dance and spoken word.
This year’s performances feature special collaborations with guest artists Shireen Rahimi, Evian (Leftside) Reyes, Gideon (Gidnasty) of Oakland Originals, and training from Dionte (Vitamin D) of Ace Mob, weaving together street & club dance traditions, storytelling through movement, and the energy of Bay Area’s youth as they come of age in these current times. Breaking Ground celebrates growth, connection, and the creative force that rises when young artists claim the floor – and build something new.
Co-directed by Jenelle Gaerlan, and Rama Hall of Embodiment Project, SEEDS offers the opportunity to delve deep into hip hop dance training and performance. With an emphasis on performance quality and originality, this teen company teaches students to freestyle and perform choreography confidently and passionately. SEEDS is structured as a pre-professional teen hip hop/street dance company. Their work pairs movement, Liberatory Storytelling™️, and restorative justice to help middle-high school youth express their story through their bodies, lift their voice, and learn vital skills to navigate conflict in community. SEEDS explores the origins and diverse stylistic variations of hip-hop alongside themes of social justice, racial and gender equity, and other relevant issues. Movement is leveraged as a vehicle to speak truth, provoke discussion, and raise awareness of systemic injustice experienced first-hand by youth in our cities.
odc.dance/seeds