Bay Area Dance Week 2026 w/ 100+ Free Events (April 24–May 3)

Bay Area Dance Week Kick off, photo by James Watkins

Bay Area Dance Week is a 10-day celebration of movement and dance, where the vibrant and diverse Bay Area dance community offers free classes, workshops, performances, open rehearsals, and more for people of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.

The festival runs April 24-May 3, 2026 with events happening across the San Francisco Bay Area including San Francisco, the East Bay, the North Bay, South Bay, and sometimes online.

What to expect:

• Free dance classes and workshops
• Performances and open rehearsals
• Social and community dances
• Cultural dance styles like hip hop, hula, West African, Bollywood, folk, and ballet
• Specialty sessions such as aerial dance

Signature kickoff:
The festival traditionally starts with the “One Dance,”  a large, participatory group dance designed to be accessible for beginners. One Dance is

Bay Area Dance Week
April 24 – May 3, 2026
All Dance / All Week / All Free
FREE – See the full calendar of events

Bay Area Dance Week kicks off with its signature “One Dance,” a free, all-ages community dance at Jessie Square on April 24. The routine is designed for all skill levels, so beginners can simply show up and follow along.

Bay Area Dance Week Kickoff & One Dance
Friday, April 24, 2026 | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Location: Jessie Square (Mission St between 3rd and 4th)
Cost: Free

Join the community celebration that launches Bay Area Dance Week. Rhythm & Motion will lead the 2026 “One Dance,” a high-energy, family-friendly routine set to a mix of Makeba (Ian Asher remix) by Jain and Energy by Mical Teja. No experience required. You can learn the choreography in advance or simply show up and follow along.

Watch and learn One Dance, a signature highlight of the festival led byRhythm & Motion’s Artistic Director Dudley Flores.