Legendary Dance Artist Anna Halprin to Celebrate 95th Birthday

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - April 16, 2015 - PRLog -- This summer, legendary dance artist Anna Halprin will celebrate her 95th birthday at a public event in Marin County, California. Leading up to this occasion will be an international celebration commemorating her nine decades as a dancer. Organized by the Tamalpa Institute, the celebration will include reenactments of Halprin’s renowned community performance works. Events are scheduled in over 15 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Colombia, France, and South Korea.

Halprin's diverse career has spanned the field of dance since the late 1930s, creating revolutionary directions for the art form and inspiring fellow choreographers to take modern dance into new dimensions. James Roose-Evans, author of “Experimental Theatre,” called her “one of the most important theatre artists of the 20th century.”

Halprin founded the groundbreaking San Francisco Dancer's Workshop in 1955 and the Tamalpa Institute in 1978 with her daughter Daria Halprin. Her “Planetary Dance: A Call for Peace” was staged in Berlin at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Potsdam Treaty to end World War II. In 1995, she was invited by Mikhail Gorbachev to present an invocation at the State of the World Forum in California.

The following is a list of San Francisco Bay Area events. For a complete list of international events, please visit dancesforanna.org.

May 16, 2015 – What Matters to Us: A Reenactment of Anna Halprin’s Blank Placard Dance – Mission District, San Francisco, California. Originally performed by Halprin and the San Francisco's Dancer's Workshop in the 1960s, the intention of this piece is to provoke audience participation and active involvement in the issues that matter on a personal and collective level. The public is invited to participate. No dance experience is required. To participate, contact blankplacard@tamalpa.org.

June 7, 2015 – Planetary Dance – Marin County, California. This inspiring ritual of peace, healing, and community renewal will take place on Mount Tamalpais for the 35th consecutive year. This is a participatory event rather than a performance, and is open to the public. People of all ages and abilities are welcome. For more information, visit planetarydance.org.

July 12, 2015 – Anna Halprin’s Birthday Performance Celebration – Mountain Home Studio, Kentfield, California. Designed by influential architect Larry Halprin, this indoor/outdoor home studio has been an explorative venue for decades. This event will include a solo piece by Anna Halprin, performances directed by Daria Halprin and guest artists, a gallery of Anna Halprin’s work, live music, and dancing. Limited tickets will be available May 15th. Contact office@tamalpa.org.

About Tamalpa Institute

Co-founded by Anna and Daria Halprin in 1978, Tamalpa Institute is an internationally recognized nonprofit that offers expressive arts training programs and workshops for healing, education, and social transformation. The Tamalpa Life/Art Process, which combines movement, dance, drawing, and writing, has influenced the fields of dance, environmental design, theater, body/mind therapies, and art-based psychology. Visit tamalpa.org.