Yannis Adoniou's KUNST-STOFF 11th San Francisco Home Season
June 12-13-14, 2009
Fri - Sat: 8pm
Sun: 7pm

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum
Tickets: ON SALE NOW at ybca.org

Yannis Adoniou's KUNST-STOFF is pleased to present its 11th San Francisco Home Season with two world premiere, multi-disciplinary collaborations featuring dance, theater, live music, and visual design. Delving in across the spectrum from grief and hilarity, these works promise to offer considerable emotional scope.

KUNST-STOFF is honored to once again work with world class light designer, Lisa J. Pinkham, who will provide the visual design for these two works.

"(Where) Every Verse is Filled with Grief" World Premiere

Choreography: Yannis Adoniou
Music: Alfred Schnittke's "The Complete String Quartets"
Violinist: Paul Festa
Arrangement: Nathaniel Stookey
Lighting: Lisa Pinkham

"(Where) Every Verse is Filled with Grief," created to the music of pioneering European composer, Alfred Schnittke, will be accompanied live by violinist and actor Paul Festa ("Stunning... " raves the Contra Costa Times, CA, about Festa).

"Raqs al Moza" World Premiere

Choreography: Yannis Adoniou
Dramaturgy: Talal Al-Muhanna
Music: Various Artists
Lighting: Lisa Pinkham

"Raqs al Moza" (which translates as "Banana Dance" from Arabic) is a dance theater piece about a boy and a girl in love during war times. It is a work about humor, breaking away from our habit, not only in art, but in much of society, to take ourselves and our work so seriously that we don't allow the natural impulse of laughter and delight to put things in perspective in the broad scope of our lives. Created in collaboration with dramaturg, Talal Al-Muhanna.

Silent Auction Photos
Online Bidding Now Open

Click on an image to see it larger.

We are also excited to share with you the five photographs below inspired by KUNST-STOFF's new season and featuring company members Marina Fukushima, Suzanne Lappas and Spencer Dickhaus.

These striking 16x20" limited edition photos will also be on display at YBCA during our performances and up for grabs in a Silent Auction to support the show. You can BID ONLINE HERE at as well as in the lobby during each performance. Bidding will close on Monday, June 15th and the winners will be announced by email.

John William's Persecution

KUNST-STOFF dancers, Marina Fukushima and Justin Andrews, and Artistic Director, Yannis Adoniou, recently collaborated with filmmaker John Williams on a 4 minute film that merges dance with layers of other media creating a unique and striking living canvas. Below are stills from the film that will be screened in the YBCA Forum lobby at each performance.

Film synopsis:
"Persecution" is an abstract art film that conveys a hidden meaning of symbols, words and abusive phrases which wash over the bodies of flowing dancers as they drift through a world of intolerance.

Artist bio:
John T. Williams is a visual artist, working in a variety of creative disciplines, such as, dance, film, theatre, photography, mixed media and digital art. He started his artistic career as an independent filmmaker at San Francisco State University Film School where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema. His award winning films and dance art have appeared in various film festivals and art festivals around the world and in the US.

In addition to his film work, John has written, produced and directed several ballets featuring soloist dancers from the San Francisco Ballet and Corps de Ballet dancers from LINES Ballet and Oakland Ballet.

"Dance has always been my artistic voice. Without any formal training, influences or background in dance, it always seems to push its way into my work. Most of my images are in close-up, a likely influence from my film background. I photograph the dancers in a master shot and then seek out the strongest voice in a close-up and create from there. It?s not enough for me to just photograph, film, or paint dance, but explore new art forms."

John has had the privilege of working with some of the Bay Area's finest dancers and choreographers from the San Francisco Ballet, LINES Ballet and most recent collaboration with internationally renown choreographer, Yannis Adoniou with KUNST-STOFF.