R&M celebrates PRIDE + BBT Updates

Dance with Pride!

Registration for the Dance with Pride contingent is officially closed, and we’re thrilled to announce that nearly 190 dancers and volunteers will be representing Rhythm & Motion and Dancers' Group this year! We are contingent #110 in the 55th Annual SF Pride Parade, which kicks off at 10am on Sunday, June 29. Catch us dancing down Market Street or tune in to the exclusive live broadcast on ABC7 to join the celebration from home!

Sunday, June 29 - Yes, we'll still have class!
While many of us will be dancing through the streets for the SF Pride Parade (including 14 R&M instructors) we’re still offering Rhythm & Motion classes back at the studio! An amazing crew of teachers will be leading the way and keeping the energy high. We’re so grateful to them for keeping the studio spirit alive and for keeping people dancing on parade day. Come get your groove on with them!

Sunday, June 29 Class Schedule:

• 8:30am Fusion with Leila Easa at ODC

• 9:00am Fusion with Eyla Moore at Berkeley Ballet Theater

• 10:15am Fusion Essentials with Becca Selin at ODC

• 11:15am Modern Essentials with Pilar Marsh at ODC

*Please note, the 10am R&M Fusion online and in-person class at ODC will be canceled on Sunday. 

R&M at the Queering Dance Festival!

We’re excited to be part of this year’s Queering Dance Festival programming! 

Join Jess Bozzo as they lead a high-energy Rhythm & Motion Dance Workout class at the Bandaloop Studios in support of the festival’s mission to uplift LGBTQIA+ voices in dance. Come move, sweat, and celebrate with us! QDF is a project of Shawl Anderson Dance Center in Berkeley. 

When: Tuesday, June 24, 5-6pm
Where: Bandaloop Studios in Berkeley
More info

Program Updates at Berkeley Ballet Theater

We've got some fresh updates to our BBT schedule... and some reasons to celebrate!

On Saturdays, Liz Muller is now teaching R&M Modern from 9am-10am - a great way to kick off your weekend with full-bodied lyrical contemporary and modern dance based movement. 

On Sundays, we’re thrilled to welcome back Eyla Moore for R&M Fusion from 9am–10am! This return is extra special, as 2025 marks Eyla’s 20th anniversary as a Rhythm & Motion instructor. What better way to celebrate two incredible decades of teaching R&M than with a class of her own!

And don’t forget: Leigh Marz brings her signature style to R&M Fusion classes every Tuesday and Friday from 9am-10am. 

Come dance with R&M in Berkeley!

News about Consuelo

Dear Rhythm & Motion Community,

It is with a heavy heart that we share that Consuelo Faust, the visionary founder of Rhythm & Motion, passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. The cause of death was Parkinson’s Disease, complicated by Multiple Systems Atrophy. To the very end, Consuelo lived with strength and grace. She left this world - taking her final bow - with her husband Thor and daughter Madeleine at her side.

A native of New Orleans, Consuelo came to San Francisco to pursue her study of dance. She immersed herself in a blossoming scene of creative arts in the early seventies, and was a founding member of the Tumbleweed Dance and Music Collective. Together with fellow dancer Cathy Herbert, Consuelo founded Rhythm & Motion in 1979. For the next thirty-five years, she directed the company with two goals in mind: help dancers make a living by teaching dance, and that the joy of dance should be accessible to all. These simple ideas generated a community of teachers, students, and collaborators that has become the extraordinary, grass-roots institution that is Rhythm & Motion today.

Our community, where people come not just to move, but to connect, express themselves, and heal through the art and ritual of dance is the result of the intentional, conscientious, and generous spirit that was at the core of Consuelo's beliefs. Rhythm & Motion has become a space where all are welcome, everyone is invited to thrive, and, through dance, a communal experience provides a place where art, culture, life, and our very beings can be celebrated, honored, and supported. Consuelo was very clear that the program was not only open and safe, but also challenging, with a sense that one could progress in learning the technical aspects of dance - though never at the expense of having fun.

Consuelo's impact on the company, her community, and all who knew her can be measured by the generations of students and teachers who have embraced the positive values and pure joy of dance. Consuelo was our north star, and she will be sorely missed.

Plans to celebrate and commemorate Consuelo’s life and legacy will be communicated at a later time. In the meantime, if you would like to share a message of condolence or a memory of Consuelo, please send it through the Rhythm & Motion office at ODC. Handwritten notes are especially welcomed at this time and will be passed along to her family.

As we grieve this loss, we can also celebrate her life - in words and deeds, in movement, and in the ways we show up for one another.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Dudley
Director, Rhythm & Motion

Dance with Pride 2025 - Registration is OPEN 🎉

Dance with Pride registration now OPEN

Dance with Rhythm & Motion and Dancers' Group in the 2025 San Francisco Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29!

We are thrilled to announce that Rhythm & Motion will be taking part in San Francisco's 2025 Pride Parade, sharing our love of dance and expressing this year's theme "Queer Joy is Resistance" with all the generosity and joyous energy we have to offer.

This is your chance to dance loud and proud through the center of the city alongside your friends, teachers and fellow Bay Area dancers. Come be a part of our award-winning "Dance with Pride" contingent which has wowed the crowd year after year. We would LOVE for YOU to join us!

No dance experience necessary. Just an open attitude, a willingness to learn the choreography and share the love. Don't want to dance but still wish to join us? Come volunteer! Need some inspiration? Check out this video. What are you waiting for?! Learn more or register now. Early bird pricing until May 31!

LEARN MORE

Memorial Day Weekend Schedule

In town for the long weekend? Come dance with us! Check out our special Sunday and Monday schedule below.

Please note that Carnaval is happening in the Mission this weekend, so parking might be more difficult than you are used to at ODC...give yourself plenty of time to make it to class! (Pssst...while you're in the neighborhood, go see many of your R&M instructors and fellow students in the Carnaval Grand Parade on Sunday....scroll down for more info).

ODC will be closing early on Monday, so the schedule consists of morning classes only. Make sure to check out the special team-taught Fusion class with our latest cohort of amazing teachers!

Memorial Day Weekend Classes

Sunday, May 25

• 8:30am Fusion with Maggie Connard (IN-PERSON) at ODC
   

• 9:00am Fusion with Eyla Moore (IN PERSON) at Berkeley Ballet
   

• 10am Fusion with Janet Roitz
  (LIVESTREAM and IN-PERSON) at ODC
   

• 11:15am Modern Essentials with Pilar Marsh 
  (IN-PERSON)

Monday, May 26

• 8:30am Fusion with Dudley Flores (IN-PERSON) at ODC
   

• 10am Fusion with Marielle Amrhein, Jess Bozzo, and Zach Isen (IN-PERSON) at ODC
   

• 12pm Modern with Sarah Emmons 
  (IN-PERSON) at ODC

We'd love to see you in-studio or online and will be back to our regular schedule on Tuesday!

Instructor News

This weekend check out Aimee Zawitz, Dudley Flores, Becca Selin, Heather Bornfeld, Leila Easa, Katie Clay, Rena Marie Guidry and many of your fellow R&M students perform at the 47th annual Carnaval San Francisco, the largest multicultural festival in the West Coast.

The Grand Parade boasts a 60–contingent (comparsa) lineup, with over 3,000 artists representing the cultural heritages of Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala, El Salvador, and more to participate, televised by CBS. The Grand Parade covers 20 blocks in San Francisco’s historic Latino Cultural District in the Mission.

Don't miss Dudley, Becca, Heather, Leila and Rena with Latin Dance Grooves (contingent #41), Aimee with LocoBloco (contingent #44) and Katie with Sambaxé (contingent #56).

Carnaval Grand Parade
Sunday, May 25 at 10am
Mission District, SF
More info

Embrace your saucy side, and come support instructors Nehemiah Aldrich, Sarah Emmons and Maggie Connard as they dance for a great cause!

Broadway Bares SF
Hex Appeal
Sunday, June 15 at 8pm
1015 Folsom, San Francisco
More info

Join us FRIDAY for "One Dance" in Union Square!

Join us for ONE DANCE this Friday!

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to take part once again in Bay Area Dance Week, the esteemed 10-day celebration of movement and dance. This annual event, a cornerstone of the Bay Area dance community for 24 years, offers the public the opportunity to experience the region's vibrant and diverse dance scene - all for free!

Join us in performing One Dance, the kick-off event for Bay Area Dance Week, this Friday, April 25 at noon in Union Square - the original home of this beloved opening celebration. Let's show how dance can enliven and energize our wonderful city. Everyone is welcome to participate!

Plus, don't miss our selection of FREE Rhythm & Motion classes throughout Dance Week.

• April 27, 11:30am - Intro to Rhythm & Motion Fusion with R&M Faculty 

• April 29, 5:45 - Rhythm & Motion Fusion (Online) with Rena Marie Guidry 

• April 30, 12:00pm - Rhythm & Motion Fusion with Janet Roitz at Yerba Buena Gardens

• April 30, 5:45pm - Rhythm & Motion Fusion with Aimee Rose 

• May 2, 8:30am - Rhythm & Motion Fusion (Online) with Maggie Connard

• May 4, 11:30am - First Look: New Rhythm & Motion Choreography Class with R&M Faculty

Learn More and SIGN UP NOW

Bay Area Dance Week (featuring R&M) in the News!

Check out R&M promoting Bay Area Dance Week and performing snippets of "One Dance" on LIVE! in the Bay

Did you catch R&M's Dudley Flores, Jess Bozzo, Maggie Connard and Zach Isen representing Bay Area Dance Week on LIVE! in the Bay this week? (You might notice that we didn't use the original music for "One Dance" on TV because of copyright rules, but we WILL be dancing to both original songs at this Friday's opening event).

You can also read an article with Dudley Flores promoting Dance Week and local offerings in Mission Local.

Meet our new teachers + One Dance + MORE!

Meet our NEW teachers!

Join us in welcoming our latest fabulous cohort of Rhythm & Motion teachers:  Marielle Amrhein (she/her), Jess Bozzo (they/them) and Zach Isen (he/him).

They'll be subbing classes at ODC in SF and at Berkeley Ballet Theater in Berkeley for a few months while they build their repertoire and gain more teaching experience. Look for them on the schedule and welcome them lovingly. We are thrilled to have all three of them in the R&M teaching family and can't for you to meet them!

Join us for ONE DANCE 2025!

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to take part once again in Bay Area Dance Week, the esteemed 10-day celebration of movement and dance. This annual event, a cornerstone of the Bay Area dance community for 24 years, offers the public the opportunity to experience the regions's vibrant and diverse dance scene - all for free!

Join us in performing One Dance, the kick-off event for Bay Area Dance Week, on Friday, April 25 at noon in Union Square - the original home of this beloved opening celebration. Everyone is welcome to participate!

Plus, don't miss our selection of free Rhythm & Motion classes throughout Dance Week. (We'll announce this list of classes in early April!)

Learn More

Outdoor classes are back! 

Spring into 2025 with FREE Rhythm & Motion Fusion classes outside in Noe Valley Town Square and Yerba Buena Gardens. Don't miss out on your chance to dance in community in the great outdoors with your favorite R&M instructors!

Dance in the SF downtown area on Wednesdays from 12 - 1pm at the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens starting April 2.

We are also delighted to announce our next free outdoor class in Noe Valley Town Square: Saturday, April 12 at 4:00pm (plan to stick around after for snacks and revelry!)

Learn More

Bay Area weather can be unpredictable...stay tuned to our Facebook, Instagram or website for any information on weather-related cancellations. (*And while you're there, give us a follow to stay up to date on all things R&M!

Listen to your Favorite R&M Jams!

Love the music we dance to in Rhythm & Motion classes? Our teachers do too! Hop on over to R&M's very own Spotify page to listen to playlists of your favorites from class.

This month, instructor Leigh Marz shares a few of her favorite tunes with Making Room for Dessert - a spontaneous, R&M-inspired dance party playlist.

"When my friends and family gather for big meals we often have a spontaneous dance party between dinner and dessert. The danger here is not having a playlist on the ready because people could make their ways to overstuffed chairs and couches and call it a night! May this playlist come in handy at just the right moment.” 

Enjoy your faves and maybe discover something new!

Listen Now

Instructor Performances

Catch instructor Sarah Emmons dancing with Printz Dance Project in Variety Fest!

Printz Dance Project presents an all new Variety Fest! Join us at Flux Vertical Theatre for this party-meets performance-mash-up. All new contemporary-jazz dance vignettes by Printz Dance Project, alongside drag, hip-hop, pole, and storytelling performances by wonderful guest artists, with music by the one and only DJ Heylove. Grab a drink, dance, and watch eye catching performances while immersing yourself in the FLUX Vertical Theatre space. Don't miss out on this event - mark your calendars for Variety Fest Spring 2025!

PDP presents Variety Fest
Saturday, May 3, 8-10pm
Flux Vertical Theatre
811 University Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710
More info
 

Embrace your saucy side, and come support instructors Sarah Emmons and Maggie Connard as they dance for a great cause!

Broadway Bares SF
Hex Appeal
Sunday, June 15 at 7:30pm
1015 Folsom
More info
 

Jumpstart your January: the latest from R&M

Happy 2025 and Thank You!

Happy 2025! Before we dive into the new year, we want to take a moment to thank you for an incredible 2024. Last year, Rhythm & Motion turned 45, and celebrating every day with all of you - our amazing community - was pure joy. (Check out our Year in Review video to see what we did.)
 
For four and a half decades, the heart of R&M has been rooted in the belief that the art and ritual of dance belong to all of us, and that anyone can dance, while the spirit of our community is sustained and shaped by each of you. We’re so grateful for your love, support and the welcoming space you’ve helped to create for everyone - where music, movement, joy, sweat and connection come together in the most beautiful way. Thank you.
 
Let’s keep the good vibes flowing through this new year…and forever.
Here’s to an incredible year ahead! 

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R&M's 2024 Year-In-Review Video is Here!

Thank you for a memorable year with Rhythm & Motion! 2024 brought joys and challenges, highs and lows, and everything in-between. Through it all, we danced. Here’s what we did together…our Rhythm & Motion year in review.

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Congrats on lucky 7! R&M celebrates seven years of classes at Berkeley Ballet Theater

With a team of dedicated instructors and a community of joyous and generous dancers, Rhythm & Motion at BBT is a class where everyone is welcome to come share in the the joy of music + movement + spirit + sweat in the East Bay!

Here are a few moments from the January 5, 2025 anniversary class taught by Rena Marie Guidry, Leigh Marz, Liz Muller and Eyla Moore.

Thank you to EVERYONE who has been a part of keeping R&M's mission and vision alive. Happy Anniversary!

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Listen to your Favorite R&M Jams!

Love the music we dance to in Rhythm & Motion classes? Our teachers do too! Hop on over to R&M's very own Spotify page to listen to playlists of your favorites from class.

This month, instructor Maggie Connard shares 11 R&M songs of strength, hope and optimism to inspire and encourage as we embark upon 2025.  "So I write my worries in the sand, all my troubles that life demands, I watch my worries, wash away, wash away" - "Wash Away" by Hill St. Soul

Enjoy your faves and maybe discover something new!

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Free Health Workshops from Our Partners at ODC

Rhythm & Motion's partners at the ODC Healthy Dancers’ Clinic are excited to celebrate dancers’ wellness for the entire month of February. Join physicians, nutritionists, mental health specialists, physical therapists, and other health practitioners who specialize in dancers’ health for an array of workshops, presentations, and individual sessions available throughout the month of February 2025...all for FREE!

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Instructor Performances

Catch instructor Eyla Moore dancing with Diaspora Dance in Oakland's Black Joy Parade in February!

Black Joy Parade
Feb 23, 12:30pm
Oakland, CA
More info

Every year thousands of folks come to The Black Joy Parade to support Black business, artists, performers, activists and more. Admissions are free for all so bring your friends and family! 

Winter Holiday 2024 Schedule is Here!

Dance with us this Winter Holiday

You can depend on your Rhythm & Motion family to lift you up all through the holiday season (and all 365 days a year in San Francisco). Be sure to check the special holiday schedule between December 23 and January 3 and come dance with us EVERY DAY of winter break. Rhythm & Motion holiday classes are popular, so pre-register for class to secure your spot! We can't wait to dance with you!
 

Winter Holiday Schedule

Our regular schedule resumes on Saturday, January 4th. We are so grateful for all of you and can't wait to dance together!

Peter Rothblatt’s Next Chapter

                                  
We are thrilled to announce that long-time R&M instructor, Peter Rothblatt, has stepped into an exciting new role at Rhythm & Motion as an instructor coach and mentor for our team of San Francisco instructors! Peter started teaching R&M classes in 1987 and inspired us in his classes with his infectious humor and joy, his vibrant dancing, as well as his countless words of wisdom about dance and the miracle of the body. From 1994-2001, during Rhythm & Motion’s time as a thriving Dance Center, he served as R&M’s Associate Artistic Director. In this role, he trained many teachers—including R&M’s current Director, Dudley Flores—and oversaw the company's growth into a vibrant hub for global dance.

In his new capacity as a coach, he’ll be a support for our instructors’ teaching practices, sharing his experience, and engaging in dialogue to help our teachers grow and thrive as instructors. This is a huge opportunity for our instructors and a testament to Peter’s legacy as teacher, artist and dedicated community member.

While Peter will be stepping away from teaching regularly scheduled classes, he isn’t going anywhere! In addition to his role as a coach, you can still find him in the studio taking class and guest teaching a routine from time to time. Thank you, Peter, for everything you’ve brought to our dance floor and for continuing to enrich our community!

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST - R&M Rewind 2024

Did you know that R&M has a Spotify page? It's been awhile since we've posted, but we're back! Enjoy ten of Rhythm & Motion favorites from 2024...uplifting songs of comfort, joy and love to carry us into the new year. Press play and turn up the volume!

Listen Now

Instructor news

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and hamming it up in the hilarious musical romp, PETER PAN at the Presidio Theatre. Fun for the whole family, PETER PAN turns the classic children’s tale on its head with magnificent costumes, musical parodies, dance, magic, and over-the-top silliness. Through December 29.

More info (Use code "PANFAM" for 10% off tickets!)

FREE Dance Day - Saturday 9/28 at Yerba Buena Gardens

Join us for Dance Day, Saturday September 28

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. Join us for Afro-Brazilian, Bachata, Dancehall, Rhythm & Motion Fusion and much, much more.

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

Save the date! This year's Dance Day is Saturday, September 28 from 10am - 3pm in Yerba Buena Gardens.

Dance Outdoors with Rhythm & Motion

We're buzzing with excitement to dance in the great outdoors with you! Soak in the joy (and fresh air) with the following FREE Rhythm & Motion outdoor FUSION classes in Noe Valley and at downtown's Yerba Buena Gardens.

Saturdays 4 to 5pm - Noe Valley Town Square:

• September 14

• October 12

• November 16

• December 14

Wednesdays 12 to 1pm - Yerba Buena Gardens:

• April 3 through October 30

Spread the Word:
Dance with us across the Bay...and beyond!

Shake up your routine with R&M dance classes, in the Bay Area and beyond! Spread the word to your pals and let's groove together. Dance, move, sweat and play while enjoying our vibrant community in the following cities:

• Berkeley, CA  Tues, Fri, Sat and Sun mornings

• Santa Cruz, CA Tues mornings (new location!)

• San Diego, CA Sun mornings

• Portland, OR Sun, Mon, Weds, Thurs and Fri mornings

• Barre, VT  Weds evenings (new location!)

Come, get your happy on with us!

Instructor Performances

Catch instructor Sarah Emmons in Printz Dance Project's GLASSlands at the Presidio Theater.

GLASSlands
Presidio Theater
Sept 21 & 22
More info

GLASSlands explores human interactions, intimacy, alienation and the increasing compromise of human connection due to the intervention of communications technology. The evening-length work features striking set design by award-wining artist Sean Riley comprising large, transparent pod-like structures, or “bubble rooms” that fill and animate the performance space, creating a plastic world that dancers inhabit and explore. Recent social-media-driven realities affect partnerships, friendships, love and how people manifest intimacy in a complex, screen-filled world.

Come see instructor Leesha Zieber in RAWdance's 20th anniversary performance in October.

RAWdance 20th Anniversary
ODC Theater
Oct 24 - 27
More info

Join RAWdance for our 20th anniversary theatrical home season! To celebrate, the company is sharing four world premieres for its return to San Francisco’s ODC Theater. The production features two new works by the company’s Co-Artistic Directors Wendy Rein and Ryan T. Smith, and two commissioned works by pairs of the company’s dancer-collaborators.

It's instructor Maggie Connard's fourth year performing in the zany Panto in the Presidio. Don't miss this year's brand new production of "Peter Pan".

Peter Pan
Presidio Theater
Dec 3 - 29
More info

Awaken your childlike wonder this holiday season with a brand new take on the family classic, Peter Pan. The adventure begins in San Francisco before soaring away to the magical world of Neverland, featuring familiar characters such as Peter, Wendy, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, and the Lost Boys. Panto in the Presidio fans will recognize favorites including Pecker the singing rooster and the wonderfully wacky Dame who narrates the action.

Now in its fourth year, Panto in the Presidio has quickly become a San Francisco holiday staple. The annual production is a uniquely San Franciscan twist on the British tradition of holiday pantomimes (more commonly known as Pantos) which are over-the-top musical theater parodies of popular children’s stories and folklore. Join in the Panto traditions of booing the villains, cheering the heroes, and singing along to popular songs played by a live band. Oh, and watch out for flying candy!

Dance with Pride registration now OPEN

After a 4-year break, we’re back!

Dance with Rhythm & Motion and Dancers' Group in the 2024 San Francisco Pride Parade!

This is your chance to dance your heart out through the center of the city alongside your friends, teachers and fellow Bay Area dancers. This year's San Francisco Pride Parade is on Sunday, June 30, and you are cordially invited to participate. Come be a part of our award-winning "Dance with Pride" contingent which has wowed the crowd year after year. We look forward to expressing this year's theme, "Beacon of Love," the best way we know how...through music and movement!

No dance experience necessary. Just an open attitude, a willingness to learn the choreography and share the love. Don't want to dance but still wish to join us? Come volunteer! Need some inspiration? Check out this video. What are you waiting for?! Learn more or register now. Early bird pricing until May 31!

Thanks for Celebrating Bay Area Dance Week!

Last April, Rhythm & Motion was thrilled to kickoff Bay Area Dance Week with hundreds of dancers at the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens! We came together to joyously perform “One Dance”, and enjoyed an afternoon of free dance classes with R&M friends In Lak’ech Dance, Aimee Rose and Sundance Saloon.

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate dance with us, and to our amazing kickoff event partners, Dancers’ Group, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and Bopsidy!

Check out footage from the kickoff event.

We also kept the party going over the following ten days with several free classes at ODC - sharing the love and spreading the joy of dance with faces new and familiar!

Thank you again and see you in class!

Instructor News

This weekend check out Dudley Flores, Becca Selin, Leila Easa, Katie Clay, Aimee Zawitz and many of your fellow R&M students perform at the 46th annual Carnaval San Francisco, the largest multicultural festival in the West Coast.

Don't miss Dudley, Becca and Leila with Latin Dance Grooves (contingent #26), Aimee (on stilts!) with LocoBloco (contingent #35) and Katie with Sambaxé (contingent #54).

Carnaval Grand Parade
Sunday, May 28 from 9:30 - 2:30pm
Mission District, SF
More info

Join instructor Leesha Zieber for FREE outdoor RAWdance performances in June!

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival presents
RAWdance:Drawing on a Decade
Friday, June 14 at 6:30pm
Saturday, June 15 at 1:00pm
Yerba Buena Gardens
More info

Embrace your saucy side, and come support instructors Sarah Emmons and Maggie Connard as they dance for a great cause!

Broadway Bares SF
Filmstrips
Sunday, June 16 at 7:30pm
1015 Folsom
More info

FREE Outdoor Classes + Bay Area Dance Week Save the Date!

Dance outdoors in Noe Valley
and Yerba Buena Gardens

Leap into 2024 with FREE Rhythm & Motion Fusion classes outside in Noe Valley Town Square and Yerba Buena Gardens. Don't miss out on your chance to dance in community in the great outdoors with your favorite R&M instructors!

Next FREE outdoor class in Noe Valley Town Square:

• Saturday, February 17 at 4:00pm

We are also delighted to announce the return of free Wednesday classes in Yerba Buena Gardens in April 2024 at a new time!

More info

Bay Area weather can be unpredictable...stay tuned to our Facebook*, Instagram* or website for any information on weather-related cancellations. (*And while you're there, give us a follow to stay up to date on all things R&M!)

Dance with us in your living room

Can't make it to the studio to dance with us in-person? We offer classes online via Zoom with great audio to inspire movement and a mirrored camera view to help make following along from home easier for you. Join us from anywhere you have an internet connection. :)

Sign Up Now

“The care you all take to make sure the sound and video quality is excellent, and that the zoom participants are included, helps bring the extraordinary, boundless, generative, exuberant energy of the in-person classes into my home.”
— Nina Catalano, student

Save the Date -
Bay Area Dance Week Kickoff Event with R&M

Highlights from 2023's Bay Area Dance Week kickoff event 

Rhythm & Motion is thrilled to partner with Dancer's Group to present the free outdoor kickoff event for Bay Area Dance Week on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

All dance. All free. All week.

Stay tuned for more info on how YOU can get involved!

Instructor News

See instructor Sarah Emmons in the San Francisco premier of panels, a dance film on grief, plus a live performance by the cast.

If you met grief face-to-face, how would it manifest? panels is a dance film on grief, made in the Bay Area, by Bay Area artists.

After the loss of a lifelong friend, a trio processes their grief through distinct, yet parallel journeys. Within a surrealist, horroresque aesthetic, panels delves into the beastly, complex, and beautiful aspects of grief.  This film is fully a movement narrative, with no verbal speaking.

Friday, February 9 
Great Star Theater, SF
7:45pm
More info

Did you catch instructor Nehemiah Aldrich strutting his stuff in TWO official music videos?

Don't miss him dancing in Julian Lennon's Love Don't Let Me Down and Michael Bolton's Spark of Light.

Holiday Schedule + online classes + instructor news❄️

Bay Area Holiday Schedule - Dance with us!

Get ready to dance all through the holiday season with your Rhythm & Motion family! Check out our special holiday schedule between Dec. 23 - Jan. 1 and join us EVERY DAY of winter break, both ONLINE and IN-PERSON. Drop-ins are welcome, but we recommend pre-registering for class since holiday classes can fill up. 

Winter Holiday Schedule

We're excited to dance with you and grateful for your support! Our regular class schedule at ODC resumes Jan. 2nd.

Out of town for the holidays? Try dancing with us online!

Can't make it to the studio to dance with us in-person? We offer classes online via Zoom with great audio to inspire movement and a mirrored camera view to help make following along from home easier for you. Join us from anywhere you have an internet connection. :)

Sign Up Now

“The care you all take to make sure the sound and video quality is excellent, and that the zoom participants are included, helps bring the extraordinary, boundless, generative, exuberant energy of the in-person classes into my home.”
— Nina Catalano, student

Thank you for dancing outdoors in 2023!

That's a wrap on our outdoor classes for 2023! Thank you for joining us this year for over 40 free outdoor classes in Noe Valley and Yerba Buena Gardens (YBG). Shout out to our partners at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and Noe Valley Town Square for sponsoring all the goodness and for making these outdoor offering possible.

The sweaty fun in the great outdoors will continue in 2024! Classes start at YBG in April, and our first class in Noe Valley will be Sunday, January 13th at 4pm. We'll see you then!

More Info

Instructor News

We wish Jillian Wasick the best of luck in her move to the East Coast . A dedicated R&M team member and a shining star in our community, we will miss her energy, skills, enthusiasm and contributions to the SF R&M community.

Sweaty hugs, Jillian, from all of us at R&M. We look forward to dancing with you again some day! 

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and hamming it up in the hilarious musical romp, Sleeping Beauty at the Presidio Theatre. Fun for the whole family, Sleeping Beauty turns the classic children’s tale on its head with magnificent costumes, musical parodies, dance, magic, and over-the-top silliness. November 25 - December 30.

More info

Instructor News

Come see R&M teacher Janet Roitz in “Miriam and Esther Go to the Diamond District” at The Magic Theatre, January 18 - 28.

Two sisters, Miriam and Esther, long estranged, meet at their wealthy stepfather's condo, 45 years after their opera singer mother's death. Once there, they discover all kinds of secrets about their past, and work to find forgiveness for each other. 

Filled with song, music and dance, the play takes us on an immersive journey of what really matters- and how love wins no matter what.

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Dance with us on Thanksgiving!🍁

Need to dance it out this Thanksgiving holiday weekend? We've got you covered with numerous opportunities to dance online and in-person. We can't wait to connect, smile and sweat with you!

Our Rhythm & Motion holiday classes are extremely popular, and we don't want you to miss out on the fun. Make sure to pre-register and secure your spot!

All classes are in-person. Hybrid (in-person and online) classes are noted with a (*).

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

• 8:30am Fusion* with Jillian Wasick at ODC 

• 10:00am Fusion with Dudley Flores at ODC

• 12:00pm Fusion with Vanessa Thiessen at Bodyvox

• 4:30pm Modern with Sarah Emmons at ODC

• 5:45pm Fusion with Aimee Zawitz at ODC 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23

• 8:30am Fusion with Corie Altaffer at ODC 

• 8:45am Fusion with Heather Bornfeld at ODC

• 9:00am Fusion with Vanessa Thiessen at Bodyvox 

• 10:00am Fusion(+) with Rebecca Setziol at Motion Pacific 

• 10:00am Fusion* with Dudley Flores at ODC 

• 11:15am Modern with Katie Clay at ODC 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24

• 8:30am Fusion* with Maggie Connard at ODC 

• 9:00am Fusion with Leigh Marz at Berkeley Ballet Theater 

• 10:00am Fusion with Nehemiah Aldrich at ODC 

• 4:30pm Modern* with Jessica Lutes at ODC

All classes are in-person.Hybrid (in-person and online) classes are noted with a (*).

+ This 10:00am R&M Fusion class at Motion Pacific will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Ourregular scheduleresumes on Saturday, November 25. We are working with our studio partners to offer classes over the winter holidays, too. Stay tuned for the complete schedule announcement next month.

We are so grateful for all of you and can't wait to dance together!

Schedule update + Modern Essentials in Berkeley + more

Modern Essentials Saturdays in Berkeley

Rhythm & Motion Modern Essentials is back in Berkeley! Come dance with Liz Muller on Saturdays, 8:45-10:00am at Berkeley Ballet Theater starting THIS SATURDAY, Nov. 4th.

R&M’s Modern Essentials is rooted in contemporary and modern dance vocabulary and balances learning choreography and dance technique with the dance-floor euphoria of a good party. The class format includes extra choreography breakdowns, and the routines are repeated for extra practice and stamina building. The experience is low-pressure, joyful, full-bodied and sweaty. Everyone is welcome!
 

Watch Liz in action!
 

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*New time* -  Tuesday Modern with Pilar Marsh now at 5:45pm
 

Join Pilar Marsh Tuesday evenings at ODC for Rhythm & Motion Modern...now 15 minutes earlier.

From next week, November 7, and moving forward, class will be from 5:45 - 6:45pm.

We'll see you there!

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 18 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!

And while we're talking schedules, don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour this weekend!

Instructor News

Check out instructor Maggie Connard dancing, singing and hamming it up in the hilarious musical romp, Sleeping Beauty at the Presidio Theatre. Fun for the whole family, Sleeping Beauty turns the classic children’s tale on its head with magnificent costumes, musical parodies, dance, magic, and over-the-top silliness. November 25 - December 30.

More info

Dance with us 4 days a week in Berkeley + New class at ODC!

NEW Rhythm & Motion Fusion class at ODC

Hey Bay Area...NEW CLASS ALERT!

Come join Nehemiah Aldrich for R&M Fusion class 10:00-11:00am on Fridays at ODC. Mid-morning dancers, we now have you covered with 10am classes everyday, Sunday through Friday!

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Whether you're a seasoned dancer or just starting out, we invite you to join us and experience the joy, intensity and skill of dance, in its many forms, in all of our classes! 

Come dance in San Francisco at ODC and LINES, in Berkeley at Berkeley Ballet Theater, in Portland at Bodyvox, in Santa Cruz at Motion Pacific and in San Diego.
 

R&M in Berkeley - Come One and All!

Live or work in the East Bay? No need to cross a bridge for your Rhythm & Motion fix! Come dance with us in Berkeley at Berkeley Ballet Theater!

Join Leigh Marz, Liz Muller and Rena Marie Guidry for 9am R&M Fusion class... four days a week!

Come break a sweat, make new friends and enjoy the euphoria of dancing in community at Berkeley Ballet Theater's beautiful studios.

Last Month of FREE Outdoor Classes in Yerba Buena Gardens

Now's your chance to dance outdoors in the beautiful October sunshine. Join us at Yerba Buena Gardens for our final three FREE Rhythm & Motion Fusion classes of the 2023 season. We'll bring the sweat, great tunes and good vibes!

We can't wait to dance with you!

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Instructor News

SF Dance Film Festival continues its annual tradition of supporting local artists with Bay Area Shorts, a two-part closing night celebration of dance, film, and community.

Come see instructor Eyla Moore on the big screen at "Bay Area Shorts - Part 1"  THIS SUNDAY at 6pm, at ODC Theater in San Francisco.

Featuring six short dance films by Bay Area and Northern California artists, this shorts program showcase the rich diversity of expression in the local community. From street corners to seaside cliffs and San Francisco’s highest hills, these artists push boundaries of form, style, and narrative in conversation with their incomparable Bay Area backdrop. Experience deeply personal emotional journeys, moving celebrations of culture and community, and abstractly evocative beauty in this collection of locally-rooted stories.

Featuring a live performance by Sean Dorsey Dance.

*Use code "23FALLMAKER20" for 20% off ticket price. 

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Check out Opera Parallele's The Emissary, a new family opera directed by R&M teacher, Yayoi Kambara, October 27 and 28 at ODC Theater.

In this new family opera spanning generations, journey through a future where hope and resilience shine in a world on the brink. Opera Parallèle has commissioned composer Kenji Oh and librettist Kelley Rourke to create this brand new adaptation of The Emissary, based on the award-winning novel by celebrated Japanese author Yoko Tawada, as part of the seventh iteration of Hands-On-Opera. Directed by Yayoi Kambara and starring Angela Yam and Bradley Kynard, and featuring the Lick Wilmerding High School Chorus, bring the whole family to this world premiere!

New R&M Classes + Dance Day gratitude

NEW Modern and Fusion classes at ODC

Get excited for three new Rhythm & Motion classes returning to our schedule at ODC in San Francisco! Welcome back Rena Marie Guidry for Fusion Essentials, enjoy the flow of R&M Modern with Pilar Marsh, and shake it in Fusion with Dudley Flores.

• 5:45 Tuesdays R&M Fusion Essentials hybrid with Rena Marie Guidry

• 6pm Tuesdays R&M Modern in-person with Pilar Marsh 

• 10am Wednesdays R&M Fusion in-person with Dudley Flores (Starting 9/13)

See our full schedule of in-person, online and outdoor classes. Come dance with us!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend...all Bay Area R&M locations will hold classes as regularly scheduled. We'd love to see you!

Thank you for making Dance Day a success!

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 19 for a day of dance and community in the sun.

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! We will see you all again next year!

FREE Outdoor Class in Noe Valley NEXT Saturday!

Now's your chance to dance outdoors in the beautiful September weather. Join us next weekend on Saturday, September 9 at 4pm for FREE Rhythm & Motion Fusion class. We'll bring the sunshine, sweat and good vibes!

We can't wait to dance with you!

More Info

Instructor News

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 September 1 or September 8.

More info

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