Brittingham Park
McPike Park
Wirth Court Park
Shifting Gears Bike Path Festival 2024
September 2, 2024, 12pm to 6pm
The Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival is back, and with more exciting ways to enjoy Madison’s vibrant local dance scene. Grab your bike, your scooter, roller skates, or just put on your favorite walking shoes! This year’s festival brings you new interactive activities and new appreciation for our beautiful city.
Shifting Gears creates informal and temporary performance spaces in the parks and green spaces along the fantastic bike paths in Madison: Wirth Court Park, McPike Park, and Brittingham Park (by the Butterfly Garden. This Labor Day, festival goers on the bike path can get a little exercise, enjoy the beautiful outdoors, and witness a stunning array of local dance groups.
This year, grab a B Cycle to tour the Festival and check in on B Cycle’s MADISON BY BIKE adventure to redeem exclusive discounts and prizes. Plan ahead and check out a bike with your Madison Public Library card, or get an exclusive 50% off Madison BCycle Passes during Shifting Gears! More information about BCyle’s Madison By Bike here
At Brittingham Park: Karmic Flower Dance, Anna Peretz-Rogovoy, Wingspan Dance, M.A.T.H., Sadira, and Scratch Dance with special mini lessons by the Madison English Country Dancers
At McPike Park: Tania Tandias Flamenco and Spanish Dance, Swing State Aerial, Katherine Kramer Tap and Jazz, Lily Edgar & Kristen Hammer, Sarah Martin, and Breckenridge Highland Dance with special mini lessons in Salsa and Bachata by Luis Armacanqui of the Capitol Social
At Wirth Court Park: Liz Luse and Sarah Genta Chenoweth, Kripa Baskaran, Dansu Company and Crew, Kendyll Hazzard, and special mini lessons in East Indian Folk Dance by Swapna Srinivasan
In addition to live performance there will be other family-friendly activities including bike decorating, sidewalk chalk, and new mini lessons in social and folk dance forms. One social or folk dance form will finish off each set at all of the park locations, allowing the audience to learn something new, get the body moving, and celebrate the final days of summer together. Audience amenities are back this year thanks to SASYNA: porta potties and a few shade umbrellas. Feel free to bring your own small shade umbrellas, picnics and picnic blankets, sun screen, bug repellent, and any other goodies you might need to enjoy a full day of dance and the outdoors.
Admission is free and tickets are not required. Shifting Gears is partially funded with generous support from Dane Arts, the Marquette Neighborhood Association, the SASY Neighborhood Association, Working Draft Beer Co, Ian's Pizza,, and individual donors. Those interested in making a tax deductible donation may do so at isthmusdancecollective.org/donate.
See the festival in action via our 2021 highlight reel.
We will also be looking for volunteers for the day of the festival. Stay tuned for ways you can volunteer and support the fourth annual Shifting Gears Bike Path Festival.
Shifting Gears 2021 Reel
Check out some highlights from last year’s festival!
2024 Participating Groups
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The Breckenridge School of Highland Dance
teaches traditional Scottish Highland dancing to students of all ages, from four years old onwards! Under the direction of Sarah Breckenridge, we offer opportunities to perform, compete and take exams internationally (online!) Highland dancing is a solo dance form characterized by graceful extensions and powerful leaps, where males and females perform and compete together and equally. You can learn more at https://www.facebook.com/tartandance
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Madison English Country Dance Society
The Madison English Country Dancers meet for recreational dancing on the first, third, and fifth Mondays of the month from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, 504 S. Brearly St., Madison, WI 53703. We welcome beginners and dancers from all backgrounds. All dances are taught and called in a supportive environment. Please bring a clean pair of comfortable shoes for dancing. Suggested donation $5.00 regular, $3.00 for students. Reach out to Claire at clairedancer7@gmail.com or Mary at mlhegge@gmail.com with any questions, or to be added to our email list
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Kooy Booie
Kooy has been teaching street style technique (hip-hop, popping, krump, locking and house) 12+ years and KPOP choreography for 5+. He's won and judged all styles battles all around the midwest. He’s very passionate about utilizing the art forms as a way to express all parts of yourself, build self confidence, as well as using it as therapy for our mental, physical and emotional health. He's currently teaching at Studio Dansu and Variations dance studio as the street styles and hip-hop dance instructor teaching kids from 5-18.
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Breakthrough Dance Company
is an open-style dance company located in Madison, Wisconsin. Established in January 2015, we welcome adults of all experience levels and backgrounds, and we do not hold auditions. The company's goal is to help its members develop as dancers, grow as choreographers, and connect with the community through performances and other events. Learn more about Breakthrough at breakthroughdance.weebly.com or follow on Facebook at facebook.com/breakthroughdancecompany or Instagram instagram.com/breakthrough_dance_company
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Sarah Martin
Sarah, an Ohio native, began her dance training at BalletMet Columbus and later at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. She went on to be a trainee at Charlotte Ballet and Richmond Ballet. Since 2019 Sarah has been an artist with the Madison Ballet and enjoyed performing roles in classical and contemporary works. She has always had a passion for creating and has been fortunate enough to have opportunities to choreograph throughout her dance training and career. In 2023, Madison Ballet premiered her new work “Movements of Emotion”. Sarah also enjoys working and teaching at dance studios in the Madison area.
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Wingspan Dance
Sarah Barnard has been making dances her whole life. She has danced professionally in Charlotte, NC since 2011 with various grassroots companies in the area and a few larger companies as well.
She has been the Artistic Director of Wingspan Dance since 2012. Wingspan Dance is made up of adult dancers in Charlotte, NC & has a sister company in Madison, WI.
Sarah has also taught dance at the studio level since 2006. Sarah moved from Charlotte in 2018. Wingspan strives to bring authentic dancing to an audience, give space for the adult dancer to thrive and a safe space to collaborate between the arts.
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Katherine Kramer Tap Dance & Jazz
Katherine Kramer is a decades long jazz tap dancer. She has received many grants and awards, including the prestigious 2018 Hoofer Award from the American Tap Dance Foundation for her lifetime commitment to the art of tap dance.
Her original work is multi-form, including tap, text, song, and live music. She is the Artistic Director of Katherine Kramer Projects and Primrose Retreat, outside of Madison, WI. She is joined for Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival by dancers, Sean Frenzel, Bridgit Bowden and Ally Figel, as well as cellist Daniel Plane and bassist Sam Olson.
“She tiptoes, skids and brushes, gently paring away at the floor, coaxing out the sounds through terrifically seasoned technique...We happily remember, thanks to Katherine Kramer, that jazz dance (which today lies in the realm of the body) and tap dance (in the feet) all used to be one, big happy family”.
Albany Times Union – Constance Valis Hill
www.KatherineKramerProjects.com
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Liz Luse & Sarah Genta Chenoweth
Liz Luse is a dance artist and educator who recently relocated to Madison after 18 years of performing and teaching in Chicago. Her performance credits include Lyric Opera of Chicago, Winifred Haun and Dancers, Emily Stein Dance, and Dance in the Parks. Most recently, Liz was an ensemble member with Lucky Plush Productions and on faculty at the Joffrey Academy of Dance. She holds a BSOF from Indiana University. Liz’s biggest role to date is being mom, mommy, and mama to two beautiful children.
Sarah Genta Chenoweth is a dancer, teacher, and dance writer. She is new to Madison, having spent ten years performing and collaborating in Oakland and San Francisco, CA. Most recently she has performed with Slack Dance and taught at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center. On her favorite days, she sings Octonauts theme music with her kids, Wyatt and Wes. Sarah holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa and a BA in English Education from Illinois State University.
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Sadira & Riad Dance Company
Sadira has been performing and teaching Middle Eastern dance for over 30 years. Sadira has performed in Cairo, Egypt and throughout the U.S. She has presented work at the International World Alliance Americas General Assembly (’09), Intercontinental Dance Congress (‘08), International Dance Sampler for the U.W. Dance Program (’09), and collaborated with Kanopy Dance Company in ”Bright Nights” ( ‘07) and “Planet Dance” (’10). She has studied in Egypt with choreographer and Undersecretary of Culture Mahmoud Reda and dancer Nadia Hamdi and in Amman, Jordan with the Jafra Folkloric Company. Sadira has trained in traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern women’s dance with Magda Ibrahim and Atef Farag of the Reda Troupe and American University of Cairo Folkloric Troupe, premier Egyptian dancer Dina, Ibrahim Farah, Suhaila Salimpour, has traveled to the Middle East to study the folkloric dance styles of Morocco and Palestine and has studied the traditional dances of the Gulf States and Tunisia. Her training in Middle Eastern music includes study in Arab music theory and rhythm plus ensemble performances with UCLA ethnomusicologist Ali Jihad Racy and international performing artist, Simon Shaheen. She teaches in Madison, WI and is an ACE(American Council on Exercise) personal trainer.
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Lily Edgar
Lily Edgar, originally from Beaver Dam, WI, began her training at the School of Madison Ballet in 2010, after taking ballet classes at the Beaver Dam Dance Academy during her childhood. In 2017, Ms. Edgar was offered a traineeship with Madison Ballet, and joined the company the following year.
Ms. Edgar performed in Madison Ballet productions for over 10 years. As a company dancer, her favorite role has been debuting as Clara in Sara Stewart Schumann’s re-choreographed The Nutcracker in 2021. She has also enjoyed dancing as a soloist in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations set by the Arpino foundations Kim Sagami, as well as Peter Anastos’ A Midsummers Nights Dream, W. Earle Smith's Expressions, and Mariana Olivera’s Stabat Mater. Ms. Edgar now is lead ballet instructor at Brio Studios in Pewaukee, WI, where she will be choreographing and dancing in their Nutcracker production this fall.
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Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance
Tania Tandias has studied flamenco and Spanish classical dance with top dancers in the United States and Spain, including Pablo Rodarte, Eva Enciñias-Sandoval, Rosa Montoya, Juana Amaya and numerous other Spanish artists. Ms. Tandias has performed with Alma Flamenca in Albuquerque and with Maria Benitez’s Nuevo Flamenco in Santa Fe. She has also recently choreographed and performed in pieces for the Madison Opera, Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Milwaukee Ballet, Kanopy Dance Company, Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. In 2016, Ms. Tandias was honored to receive the “Performance/Choreography Award” from the Wisconsin Dance Council. Tania Tandias now lives in her hometown of Madison, WI where she teaches, performs and directs her company Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance.
www.flamencodance.net
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Anna Peretz Rogovoy
Anna Peretz Rogovoy is a choreographer, writer, and teaching artist currently based in the US Midwest. Anna started her career in New York City, where she lived for nearly a decade. Her dances, called "choreography for movement purists" by The Dance Enthusiast, were presented at venues including The Flea Theater, the 92nd St Y, JACK, University Settlement, and HERE Arts Center, among others. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in Dance and Literature from Bennington College. Currently on faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Anna’s choreography has been presented throughout the Midwest at the Krannert Center for Performing Arts and Virginia Theatre (Champaign-Urbana, IL); the Ariel LaSalle Theater (Cleveland, OH); and the Oscar E. Remick Heritage Center for the Performing Arts (Alma, MI).
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Karmicflower Dance Company
Raka Bandyo began study of the Classical Indian Arts as a first-generation child born in the USA to Indian parents. She has been dancing and performing Odissi dance since age 4. Her first teacher, Guru Sangeeta Mohapatra Kar was a student of the great Padma Vibushan Guru Kelucharun Mohapatra. Odissi dance for Raka is an extension of her heritage and practice a spiritual ritual.
While finishing her MS in Mechanical Engineering, she began teaching Odissi dance. In 2005, she moved to Madison, Wi to work full time in Healthcare IT. She started training in Aerial and Modern dance and performing with the Cycropia Aerial Dance Company. During this time, she also continued teaching Odissi in local yoga studios and performing Odissi as a soloist and choreographer, producing several works for her ensemble the Karmic Flower Dance Company.
In the last several years, she cut back her IT work hours to part-time in order to further pursue a more focused study of the Indian Sciences and Arts. In 2017, she became a Certificated Ayurvedic Practitioner and took a very special journey to India where she re-entered dance study with the Kelucharun Parampara. She continues learning and performing in that lineage today with and from a network of international dancers and artists.
She is also a student of Jyotish Vedic Astrology, Bansuri Hindustani Flute, Sanskrit, Vedanta and other Indian Philosophies. She is currently available for consultation, teaching, choreography, and performance.
Www.Karmicflower.com
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Natalia Armacanqui
Integrating three universal elements of dance, Ang (grace), Taal (rhythm), and Abhinaya (emotion), Natalia creates her own original aesthetics by weaving the multiple global dance styles she has loved and learned in depth, including Kathak dance, Peruvian, Middle Eastern and others, into one tapestry which connects her and others to spirit, culture and ancestral wisdom. Guided by her Indigenous Andean roots and having lived within multiple communities throughout her life, Natalia now shares her art with audiences internationally, inspired by art’s ability to transcend binaries and borders and as a medium through which we can thrive despite historical trauma. As a life-long professional exponent of Kathak dance - the uniqueness in Natalia's movement, rhythm and storytelling practices are defined by her femme subtleness and sensitivity, as well as, by a traditional attention to detail, which are unconventional in an environment of superficiality, flashiness and violence. Blessed by her dance mentors Mekhala Devi Natavar, Smt. Sandhya Desai and others, in 2008, she was awarded a prestigious fellowship award as Senior Performing artist by the American Institute of Indian Studies and has performed solos at renowned international venues such as Kamani Theater in Delhi, India (2010) , Sadler's Wells in London UK (2013) and Edinburgh festival, Scotland (2016). As an M.A. graduate in dance from Roehampton University, Natalia now continues to perform, teach and choreograph in her hometown of Madison, Wisconsin and abroad.
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Swapna Srinivasan & the Mukula Team
Swapna Srinivasan a Bharathanatyam dancer from Madison, WI, USA. She began dancing at age of 8 under the guidance of Smt. Charusmitha Rao. Later, she was introduced to the dancing duo Karnataka Kalashree Sri. Kiran Subramanian and Smt. Sandhya Kiran at the Rasika academy of performing arts. Currently she is getting her advanced training from Guru Vid. Radika Ramanujan and Smt. Meenakshi Ganesan.
Swapna has performed nationally and internationally. She completed her junior and senior level Bharatanatyam exam with distinction. She is a "B" grade artist of DD Chandana channel. She has been awarded the “Cadenza Srinatya Kala Shreshtha” in 2019 and received scholarship for her excellence from Karnataka Sangeetha nruthya academy and from Rasika academy. Some of her prominent performances in India are at Yuva sourabha, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ashram, IIDF, Sai Nrityotsav, Indian pavilion- Dubai. In the USA, she has performed for various associations, including the International book Tasting festival, India fest and in Midsouth international festival.
Swapna has 15 years of experience as a dance instructor. She has taught various age group of students (5 years to 40 years) at Euphoria Dance and Music Academy,
Bangalore,at Diksoochi Natyalaya, Gowribidnoor and at Dance Versify Academy in Memphis. She has guided students in dance exams such as Bharatanatyam junior exam and Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal examination. At present, Swapna is an instructor at Mukula. She has been actively training students for the Bhangiya sangeetha Parishad Bharatanatyam examination. Swapna has also served the Oxford community by introducing adults and children to Indian classical dance.
Apart from dancing career she is a budding yogini. Yoga has been an integral part of her preparation for dance and for a healthy lifestyle. Namastae!
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The Capitol Social
Since September of 2018, The Capitol Social has functioned as Madison’s first monthly Latin dance studio social. What’s a “studio social”? In the Latin dance context, a social is quite simply a dance party where the focus is entirely on great music, making new friends, exploring the joy that dance brings, and doing so in an environment that is welcoming to all backgrounds and skill levels. While we provide these elements at all our events, socials stand out because they almost exclusively happen at dance studios, banquet halls, ballrooms, and other venues that aren’t restaurants, nightclubs, or bars.
Essentially, socials are safe and enjoyable spaces “for dancers, by dancers.” Considerations such as having enough room and optimal floor surfaces to dance, danceable music (manageable tempos and very little to no mixing between songs), and dance partners that legitimately participate for the love of dance are the foundations of a good social. The Capitol Social has this, with added attractions like complimentary pre-dance lessons; guest DJs and professional dancers (local and international talent); dance showcases; affordability and access for all; quality event photography, and much more!
To this day, we still strive to keep diversity in the rotation of DJs, guest instructors, themes, showcases, and other special attractions.
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Scratch Dance (Erica Pinigis)
started dancing as a teen then went on to receive her BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota. After graduating, she produced and choreographed “Ooh La Lounge: An Evening of Dance and Jazz” at the Suburban World Theater and the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. She was curated by the Red Eye Theater for her collaboration with Erinn Liebhard: Lulladreams and Insomnimares, and was an Artist in Residence at the Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Arts. Erica has performed in Madison and Minneapolis with the Kanopy Dance Company, Peel and Core Dance Company, University Dance Theater, Zenon Block E performance group, the Eclectic Edge Ensemble, and Marylee Hardenbergh’s Global Site Performance. Erica migrated to the Bay Area where she was a company member of Facing East Dance & Music, Paco Gomes & Dancers, the Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble, Slick Babble Dance Project, H2O Dance, and Bianca Cabrera’s Blind Tiger Society. Erica completed her MFA in performance and choreography at Mills College and was honored with the E.L Wiegand award for excellence in performance and choreography. Since returning to Madison, Erica and several colleagues founded the Isthmus Dance Collective, a non-profit cooperatively run organization that supports dance artists. You can learn more at ericapinigis.com.
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Swing State Aerial
Swing State Aerial is an inclusive, collaborative Madison-based aerial arts performing and teaching organization.
Swing State Aerial is a collaborative project between Mackenzie, Stephanie, Luella, and Isis, with contributions from our co-founder Karen and other aerial friends. Between us, we have 31 years of aerial experience, a dance degree, a fine arts degree, a masters in public health, massage therapy certification, dance and aerial teacher training, and a focus on creating community through aerial arts.
All Swing State Aerial instructors have trained with Nimble Arts and/or Born to Fly Teacher Training programs, maintain first aid/CPR certification and concussion training, and our classes take place in a facility and program that participates in the American Circus Educators Safety Program.
You can learn more about Swing State Aerial at https://www.swingstateaerial.com/
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Studio Dansu
Studio Dansu is dedicated to educating and encouraging students to become knowledgeable, passionate, thinking artists.
With the goal of inspiring, nurturing, and sustaining a love of dance and theatre arts in all our students, Studio Dansu provides a comprehensive performing arts education to train the next generation of performers.
Students will develop their technique, artistry, and creativity...learn the skills of self-discipline, teamwork, and confidence...and aspire to local performance opportunities, college performing arts programs, and professional careers.
Owner & Artistic Director Jayme has been sharing her love for the performing arts with students for over 20 years. She has a Bachelor of the Arts Degree from UW-Eau Claire in Theatre Arts, Dance, and Music. During this time, she focused on arts management and continuing her dance studies. She also has a Bachelor of Science Degree from UW-Madison in Dance Theory where she concentrated on dance history and theory while continuing her technical discipline. Jayme founded Studio Dansu to bring a performing arts studio with singing, dancing and acting to the Madison area where she grew up.
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Stephanie Richards
Stephanie Richards discovered a love of flying in 2010, and believes circus arts provide a community that lifts up all who desire to play and challenge the impossible. She created Air Craft Madison to teach youth aerial silks and sling her specialties as an artist. Stephanie has produced, performed, and choreographed more than twenty circus events including student showcases, variety shows, and Cirque du Sylvee. She is a board member for Madison Circus Space and directed a successful million dollar capital campaign. As an arts administrator, she is skilled in fundraising, program management, partnership development, and strategic planning. Stephanie is a natural community builder and believes connecting in and through the arts is one of the best ways to achieve wellness for all.discovered a love of flying in 2010, and believes circus arts provide a community that lifts up all who desire to play and challenge the impossible. She created Air Craft Madison to teach youth aerial silks and sling her specialties as an artist. Stephanie has produced, performed, and choreographed more than twenty circus events including student showcases, variety shows, and Cirque du Sylvee. She is a board member for Madison Circus Space and directed a successful million dollar capital campaign. As an arts administrator, she is skilled in fundraising, program management, partnership development, and strategic planning. Stephanie is a natural community builder and believes connecting in and through the arts is one of the best ways to achieve wellness for all
Sponsors
"This project is supported by Dane County Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation; The Evjue Foundation, Inc., charitable arm of The Capital Times; the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation; and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation."
Looking to volunteer?
We are looking for volunteers for the day of the festival. If you are interested in volunteering email info@isthmusdancecollective.org or pm us on FB.