Welcome to La Peña! Promoting social justice & intercultural understanding through the arts since 1975.
This is a 4-week series designed for beginner-intermediate students to learn and enjoy three popular Latin dance styles: Salsa, Bachata and Merengue! Explore the possibilities of your body and how to communicate with others through dance, rhythm and flavor! Partners are not necessary! This class is taught by Venezuelan dance instructor Juliana Mendonca. Juliana’s teaching […]
Due to popular demand of our beginners series, we are adding a Salsa, Bachata and Merengue Dance Class series for INTERMEDIATE students! This is a 4-week series designed for students that already know their basic rhythm and steps, to go beyond the basic rhythms and steps. Please DO NOT sign up for this class if […]
This is an ensemble class for musicians and singers wanting to learn salsa music! Directed by Josh Jones. Come learn a variety of salsa favorites. The class perform 3-4 showcases per year! Email the instructor for audition times: joshjonesdrums@yahoo.com Cost: $15 per class Find them on Facebook!
Sliding Scale Donation: $5-$20 Series: Tuesdays, January 8th - July 30th All proceeds benefit La Peña Cultural Center's mission of promoting social justice through the arts! Join us in a friendly and supportive yoga class that encourages self-discovery, mind-body awareness, and community building. Taught by a certified yoga therapist, the class is designed to […]
Check out footage from last year's Bay Area Dance Week! What we teach Kizomba, derived from the traditional dances Semba (Angola) and Pasada (Cape Verde) among others, is a sensual partner dance coupled with music from Angola, Cape Verde and the Caribbean primarily sung in Portuguese or French Creole. Why we teach Our chief goal […]
La Peña Community Chorus Founded in 1978 by Chilean refugees and community supporters, La Peña Community Chorus has been performing Latin American New Song—Nueva Canción—for over 35 years. Accompanying themselves on guitars, flutes, drums, and a large assortment of Latin American instruments, the Chorus has sung for schools, churches, homeless shelters, retirement homes, drug rehab […]
Beat the Blues Dance with Sundance Blues Sliding scale $6-$16 for practice, drop-in, and social dance Instructors: Rotating Instructors | Location: Theater Space 8 – 9 - Drop in beginner class 9 – 11 - Social dance to blues music Director: Victor Lane For more information: http://www.sundownblues.com/contact.html Blues dancing is all about connection, musicality, partnership and having […]
Series: Thursdays, January 17th-July 25th Children’s Bomba y Plena Workshop: Dance, Percussion and Song Thursdays at 4pm $15 Drop-in class / $12 per class for trimester (13-15 classes) / Sibling discount available! Instructors: Shefali Shah & Hector Lugo | Location: Theater Space For more information email: bombaaguacero@gmail.com or visit www.bomba-aguacero.org Students will learn dance, songs, drum […]
Rockin’ Kids Sing Along Fridays 10:30-11:30am | Sliding scale $10-20 per family/class Instructors: Stephanie Pepitone | Location: Theater Space For more information: stephaniepepitone@gmail.com Class meets year round. A musical play group for kids of all ages. Hosted by Stephanie Pepitone, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and former punk rock singer/guitarist. Stephanie plays acoustic guitar and leads families in about an […]
Tuesdays at 7pm - 9pm Saturdays at 2pm - 4pm Instructor: Sergio Bitencourt For more information: sergiobitencourt81@gmail.com Capoeira Angola, a martial art and ritual combat dance, is one of the major expressions of an African, specifically Kongo-Angolan, continuum in Brazil. It is believed that its origins may go as far back as the 16th century, […]
(Version en Español mas abajo) De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association presents: Afro-Peruvian Day Celebrations at La Peña Cultural Center! To buy your tickets in Advance for $15, contact De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association: derompeyraja_info@gmail.com 510-692-3057 (Peta Robles) The evening starts with traditional Afro-Peruvian music presented by De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association, followed […]
This four week series introduces students to the basic rhythms of the plena percussion ensemble and to a few songs representative of the genre. Participants will learn to play panderos -- the seguidor and punteador patterns -- and the güícharo or güiro, and will study four plena songs in diverse styles. The workshops also introduce […]
Donation-based entry: $5-$10 Sliding Scale This is an all ages jam, held by the Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop! This event is family friendly and encourages your participation. We will dance, sing, play drums and enjoy delicious food by Los Cilantros. Bring your voice, barriles, faldas and maracas as we sing, play and dance in […]