REYES Dance
Founded in 2017, REYES Dance (RD) is a contemporary dance company based in San Francisco dedicated to bringing visibility to BIPOC narratives through performance at the intersection of horror and humor. RD’s productions include live dance performances and an annual dance film festival, Dance Thrill Fest. RD’s choreography layers everyday gestures, athleticism, humor and storytelling onto a contemporary movement base. Led by first-generation Latinx artist Jocelyn Reyes, and supported by numerous grants and residencies, RD’s works have investigated subjects including poverty, domestic abuse, religion and chronic illness within the context of Latin American culture. By presenting a sensitive but lighthearted insider perspective, RD aims to shed light on the trials and tribulations faced by many and envision a hopeful future.
Since its inception, REYES Dance has shown 10 original works, including 4 evening-length dances. RD has been commissioned and/or presented by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, the Festival of Latin American Contemporary Choreographers, MERDE Project, the RAWdance Concept Series, and the San Francisco Dance Film festival, among others. RD’s choreographic projects have been supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission, California Arts Council, Dancers’ Group CASH Grant, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and the FACT/SF Co-production grant.
Artistic Director
Jocelyn Reyes
Jocelyn Reyes (she/her) is a Latin American contemporary choreographer based in San Francisco. A first generation LA native, Reyes holds a B.S. in Cognitive Science and a B.A. in Dance from UCLA, and is the artistic director of REYES Dance. Reyes’ works mine her past experiences with poverty, domestic abuse, religion and chronic pain within the context of Latin American culture, aiming to discover new tools for moving forward, building healthier relationships, and cultivating hope.
Reyes was a 2021 - 2023 RAWdance Radiate fellow, a 2024 ODC RDI awardee, and an artist in residence with Berkeley Ballet Theater (2023), ODC’s Queer & BIPOC Space Initiative (2023), Zaccho Dance Theater (2024), and Paul Dresher Ensemble (2024). Reyes is currently an awardee of the SFAC Arts Impact Endowment Individual Artist Grant.
Artist Statement
In my work, I investigate where our feelings and thoughts come from with a choreographic process that closely mirrors the scientific method: question, research, hypothesis, experiment, conclusion. To me every person is like a walking encyclopedia, a product of all their experiences with and knowledge they have absorbed about places, people and things through their basic senses. I’m interested in how people coming from such different backgrounds find connection through creating, collaborating in, and experiencing art/dance.