Micaya presents the 17^th annual San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest (SFIHHDF), showcasing 16 of the most electrifying hip hop dance companies from around the world.  The 2015 festival also features a screening of the hip hop documentary, Shake the Dust. 

Included in the 3-day festival are Bay Area favorites Academy of Villains, Mix’d Ingrdnts, Loose Change, 1Up Crew, Spulu, On Demand, SoulForce Dance Company, Medea Sirkas and NastyRay, as well as national dance crews from Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Memphis and Sacramento. The innovative Bay Area based Medea Sirkas, pioneers of strutting, boogaloo, and the Fillmore dance styles, return to the festival after performing at the very first SFIHHDF in 1999. 

This year’s international performers hail from Japan, The Netherlands and England. Award winning Hilty & Bosch, a locking duo from Osaka, Japan, are known for their explosive, flawless choreography. Current World B-Boy Crew Champions, The Ruggeds, from Eindhoven, the Netherlands, are one of the most active breakdancing crews in Europe.  London-based Cindy Claes brings her unique amalgam of dancehall, krumping and hip hop theater.

Two solo works, one by Claes and another by Spulu, were created in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Claes’ She Speaks, came out of a visceral reaction to the news of Sandra Bland's arrest and death. Spulu’s Black vs. Blue was created in tribute to Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Mike Brown, Alex Nieto, and Eric Garner.

In addition to the two programs of live performances, SFIHHDF audiences can purchase ticket packages that include a screening of the feature documentary, Shake the Dust on Sunday, November 22 at 4pm. The film, directed by Adam Sjöberg and produced by rapper Nasir “Nas” Jones, tells the story of b-boys and hip hop artists in struggling countries who have established a voice of empowerment, resistance, and community by embracing the vitality of hip hop.

The San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest runs from November 20 - 22, 2015 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre.