ODC/Dance, founded by Brenda Way in 1971 was formed as the Oberlin Dance Collective and moved to San Francisco from Ohio in 1976. Among the first contemporary American dance companies to return to virtuosic technique and social context in avant-garde dance, ODC has introduced a generation of dance fans to the art form. Known throughout the world for its athleticism, passion and intellectual depth, ODC’s company of world-class dancers performs its iconic repertory for more than 50,000 people annually. The Company’s three resident choreographers, Brenda Way, KT Nelson, and Kimi Okada, are considered among America’s major contemporary choreographers and have created a dynamic movement vocabulary over the last three decades that has significantly influenced dancers and choreographers alike. ODC is a groundbreaking contemporary arts institution with longstanding roots in the San Francisco community. Considered the most active center for dance on the West Coast, the organization is unique for its fully integrated arts vision and its far-reaching impact. Unlike virtually any other arts organization in the nation, ODC sustains ODC/Dance, world-class dance company; the ODC Commons, a five studio rehearsal and office complex and home to ODC School & Rhythm and Motion, a professional, pre-professional, and recreational dance training program; ODC Theater, a nationally regarded presenting theater; and The Healthy Dancer Clinic, a joint program of ODC and UCSF.
