ANCHORED IN OUR HISTORY, SOARING INTO OUR FUTURE

A message from Melecio Estrella, Artistic Director of BANDALOOP:

Earlier this year — in what seems like a lifetime ago — I was humbled and honored to be named the Artistic Director of BANDALOOP. Since then, we, like many organizations, have experienced the extreme reality of a rapidly changing landscape — the Great Simmer Down of 2020, reducing our activity to what is most essential. In the context of our mission, the timing was an opportunity. And so we paused.

We paused. For the safety of our team and community. 
We paused. To listen and learn.
We paused. To protect our future.

This pause, nearly thirty years into BANDALOOP’s existence, was unique as I and the team turned inward to deeply explore the heart of the organization. The heart of us.

In this introspection, examining not only who we are at our core, but also who we want to become; we unearthed and reinvigorated our guiding principles.

These beacons drive us forward into the next thirty years and solidify our commitment to dance making and movement, and also to a broader mission as we use embodied expression to shift perspectives in our hometown of Oakland and in communities across the globe.

It is my honor to carry forth and empower the vision of BANDALOOP and to continue to shape its existence into the future. My deep gratitude and love goes to our founder Amelia. Thank you for your trust and for your guidance over the years as I have grown and learned from your generosity, grace and grit.

Our commitment to embracing the adventure of the unknown is stronger than ever and we will continue to ignite imaginations through cultivating a connection with the natural world and through the meaningful public spaces we are privileged to activate in new ways.

As we continue into the next evolution of BANDALOOP, we are also anchoring the concept of revolutionary leadership and our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and accountability into the DNA of the organization. We seek to lead boldly, with a generosity of spirit and from an understanding that our differences are a source of richness and depth in life and in artmaking.

We acknowledge and understand that the responsibility of nurturing a culture that embodies all of the above is with each of us and we will model this for each other, our team, and our partners. We will listen, follow, and lead, ensuring we honor the diversity within our organization and for those with whom we work.

As a creative family, we remain fascinated with the deep determination that comes with crafting dynamic, awe-inspiring experiences in all landscapes natural and human made. This love fuels each interaction at every level - individual, team, community and society.

It drives our creation — both of educational programming and of new works: LOOM, a celebration of the ecosystems to which we belong; and Resistance is Beautiful, a work centered on BIPOC voices which honors lineages of racial and environmental justice movements past, present, and future.

As 2020 gives way to 2021 and we have the opportunity to come together in public spaces and in nature once more, I look forward to connecting with you and relishing in the transformative power of shared experiences. Together.

The sky is not the limit.

Melecio