about us
The festival began in 2006 after Cyrus Khambatta, Executive Artistic Director for Khambatta Dance attended an Artistic Director Leadership training program with a grant from The Paul G. Allen Foundation and began to realize a long, stirring desire to connect audiences with dance through the festival environment.
After a decade in which his own Khambatta Dance (then Phffft! Co.) was invited to numerous international festivals, each with its own particular take on dance, he found the excitement and fervor with which audiences digested dance works to be a stimulating environment in which to create.
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SIDF has presented contemporary dance work from over 40 countries and supports over 150 local artists each year. It has connected over 70,000 audience members to dance in Seattle
After initiating a partnership with Seattle Center in 2007, the festival presented the site specific portion of its festival at the Center House for two years.
In 2009, the festival applied and received a grant from the Department of Neighborhoods to revitalize South Lake Union (SLU) through the arts. This initiated an effort to connect to the SLU community, where it found a receptive environment in a growing urban community. This new neighborhood allowed the festival a larger, urban terrain with unique architectural features for its site specific events and access to a soon-to-be densely populated audience.
In this same period, the festival initiated a partnership with Cornish College of the Arts to bring concert performance, as well as a dance education and instruction program together in one locale. The festival has presented local, national, and international artists, including work from artists from 40 countries since its inception.
Our Board of Directors and Volunteer Opportunities
Board of Directors
Avery Bell
Cyrus Khambatta
Arlene Martin / Chair
Elise Myers / Treasurer
Jack Nicolai
Tim Tapping / Secretary
Julie Tobiason
Qili Yan
Anjulie Ganti
Volunteer Opportunities
SIDF has numerous opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. To find out more about being on our board or volunteering to help SIDF foster the ecology of dance in our city, and develop community-building projects centered on dance, please contact us using the button below.
