About us

ZDC is based upon a long held dream first born in 1996 of a contemporary dance company weaving aerial and theater to tell a story. Our creative process involves true collaboration where the dancers, lighting designer, sound engineer and apparatus get to put their stamp on the project.

ZDC began with dancers Rina van de Kamp and Nicole Helton and was the first aerial company south of San Francisco. Since then the company has continued to break barriers. In 2007 ZDC was the first international company to teach and perform on Paros, Greece. We were brought to teach workshops and perform at two different venues on the island. That same year ZDC was the first company to perform aerial work on stage in Central America. They were twice brought to the Festival de Junio in Guatemala City for performances at the Theatro Nacional. In 2012 and 2013, ZDC performed at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland; and Brighton, England.

Locally, ZDC has performed in their own black box studio space in the Santa Ynez Valley with occasional shows at Center Stage Theater in Santa Barbara. They have also had performances in conjunction with Santa Barbara Dance Alliance, the Marjorie Luke Theatre, and Art Without Limits.

ZDC began in 2002, and has performed in California, festivals and Fringe Festivals. and four countries outside of the United States. ZDC creates a visceral experience with the audience by weaving together contemporary dance, theater, and aerial dance. We tell unique stories - sometimes incorporating multi-media platforms. Our Creative process involves true collaboration where the dancers, actors, lighting designer, sound engineer and apparatus get to put their stamp upon the project.

Zion Dance Company creates a visceral experience incorporating theater, contemporary and aerial dance. In addition to performances it is our goal to reach out to the community inviting people to play, think, and re-act using our multidisciplinary form of storytelling in workshops and classes.

Mission Statement

Profile

Reviews

Experience

2013 Brighton Fringe Festival - Another Tarantino Story The Function Room at The Lectern

2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival - 3-2-1 International Choreographers Showcase C Venues

2012 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - Still Here with international artist Fanishwar Bhaskar

2011 Teatro Nacional, Guatemala City, Guatemala - Vis-a-Vis International Choreographers Showcase

2011 Santa Barbara, California - Vis-a-Vis; SB-ADaPT International Festival Manhattan Antebellum

2011 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - Everything is Prelude, Book by Poet: John McDonnell

Paintings/Photographs by Sol Hill

2010 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - Je T’aimé 2

2009 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - Signatures

2009 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - Je T’aimé

2008 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - The Time in Between Original text by E. Bonnie Lewis

2007 Teatro Nacional, Guatemala City, Guatemala - Chants and Hymns International Choreographers Showcase

2007 Paros, Greece - What Comes from the Soul Re-staged repertoire from 2006 and 2007 Ticket sales were donated to a local non-profit AMEAI who help special needs individuals

2007 Theater D, Santa Ynez, California - Visage II Set designed and created by Robert Houghtaling and Ron Yeo

2006 Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara, California - Visage Stage set created by Robert Houghtaling and Ron Yeo

2004 Marjorie Luke Theater, Santa Barbara, California - Between the Ages. Original music composed by Michael Mortilla

2003 Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara, California - …in the First Three Minutes. New Works concert.

Skills

Workshops are offered in our technique of breath and spine to develop character. Other classes available are Modern and Contemporary Dance, Improvisation, Aerial Dance, Choreography, Pilates, and Yoga.