Past
Events
Past Events
Connected to Venue Family system
Motion Pacific: Intermediate Contemporary Jazz
Motion Pacific: Adult Beg. Jazz Fusion
Contact Improv
8 PM - Opening circle and self or community led warm up 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM Weekly rotation between contact improv supportive DJ soundscape, Live music and focused score or creativity incubator. NOTE THIS IS AN EMBODIED PRACTICE: Please no chatting/socializing on the dance floor. Feel free to visit with friends in the adjacent lobby area so that we can keep the studio space for focused jamming. Thank you. SCHEDULE: Monthly schedule of warm up facilitators and soundscape artists or themes exploration to be posted at the beginning of each month. What is Contact Improvisation? Contact improvisation (CI) is a creative dance form emerging from physical contact between partners. It was created by Steve Paxton, a student of Merce Cunningham, in the United States in 1972. The practice transcends the established boundaries between gymnastics, martial arts, meditation and dance. In doing contact, dancers directly experience with their partners the dynamic physical forces which affect all movement: mass, momentum, inertia, friction. The multidimensional nature - physical, emotional and spiritual - of the point of contact also allows the dancers to engage in non-verbal communication in a concrete manner and on several levels
Last Event
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Afro-Brazilian Dance
with Dandha Da Hora
Mondays 6pm–7:30pm Drop-in $20 - $30 Beginners and all levels welcome! Dandha’s Afro-Brazilian Dance is an invitation to explore the rich world of Afro-Brazilian Dance traditions with a gifted and dedicated teacher. Her classes focus on folkloric and Orixa-inspired dance, Samba-Afro, samba reggae, and other Brazilian dance styles and feature live drumming. Everyone will find challenge and inspiration in her dancing and teaching. All levels and all backgrounds are welcome. We are centering around equity and discovering what this looks and feels like. We are humbly striving to create an antiracist space to move freely and to embody diversity, equity, and inclusion as an intentional community of movers and shakers. We don't know exactly what this will look like however we are open to ideas and would love feedback. If you have suggestions, please submit them in writing to one of the facilitators or the suggestion box.
Salsa by the Sea
Last Event
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
KIN-DZA-DZA! Film Screening
A dystopian science-fiction comedy, in which two men from the Soviet Union accidentally travel through space meeting two aliens. KIN-DZA-DZA! – 1986, Mosfilm, 135 min. Dir. Georgiy Daneliya. Imagine Andrei Tarkovsky circa SOLARIS directing Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and you’ll come close to the existential weirdness of the wonderfully loopy Soviet-era sci-fi comedy KIN-DZA-DZA! Two average Muscovites – a plainspoken construction foreman (Stanislav Lyubshin) and a Georgian violin student (Levan Gabriadze) – encounter an odd homeless man on the street who asks, “Tell me the number of your planet in the Tentura?” In a flash, they’re teleported across the universe to the planet Pluke in the Kin-Dza-Dza galaxy – a Tatooine-like desert world whose inhabitants are hilariously noncommunicative (their main words are “ku” for good and “kyu” for very bad) and where common wooden matches are tremendously valuable. A deadpan, absurdist mixture of Kurt Vonnegut, Monty Python, Samuel Beckett and Jodorowsky’s never-made Dune where alien cultures are even more haphazard and WTF? than our own, the film is also a savage satire of bureaucratic idiocy and dysfunction no matter what political system you’re living under – or what planet you’re living on. Recently restored by Mosfilm for its first-ever U.S. release by Deaf Crocodile and Seagull Films. In Russian with English subtitles. “Possibly the most underrated science fiction film of the past 50 years … A collapsed Ferris wheel provides a home for destitute desert dwellers. Graves are marked by balloons containing the deceased’s final breath. The colour of your trousers signifies social status, so they are powerful barter items… There is no convoluted plot, but instead a convoluted universe, and its incredulous victims ready to point out the farcicality therein.” – Joel Blackledge, Little White Lies Doors open at 7:00 PM, film at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.
Last Event
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Dance Proudly
Dance Proudly — Pride Edition $10 Advanced/ $15 at the door We’re excited to launch Dance Proudly, a new monthly dance event at The 418 Project celebrating movement, music, self-expression, and community. Our first gathering will be a special Pride Edition—an evening dedicated to joy, connection, queer celebration, and collective energy on the dance floor. Whether you come to dance all night, connect with community, or simply be in the space, Dance Proudly is designed to be welcoming, expressive, and open to all. Meet the DJ: Electric Tomcat For Electric Tomcat, music isn’t just a passion—it’s an irreplaceable way of life. Driven to participate in sound at every level, they have been shaping dance floors and curating nightlife experiences across California since 2009. From late-night clubs to sun-drenched festival stages, Electric Tomcat has spun every flavor of EDM, bringing a seasoned ear and a deep respect for the dance community to every set. "My ultimate hope is to leave a lasting, positive impact on the audience emotionally and physically." The Sonic Journey Electric Tomcat doesn’t just play tracks; they weave progressive and emotional stories through sound. Refusing to be boxed into a single genre, they fluidly mix styles to craft a specific narrative arc. Because they care deeply about the unique vibe of every event, Electric Tomcat masterfully mirrors the room's current mood and intentionally guides the crowd's energy as it progresses through the evening. Prepare for a shared, transformative experience where the music hits your heart just as hard as it moves your feet. Come dance with us. The 418 Project complies with local health regulations.
Sun Ra Tribute: SPACE IS THE PLACE + SUN RA: DO THE IMPOSSIBLE Screening
Juneteenth Celebration – A Double Feature SPACE IS THE PLACE & SUN RA: DO THE IMPOSSIBLE
SPACE IS THE PLACE, 1974, Janus Films, 84 min. Dir. John Coney. Avant-jazz mystic Sun Ra brought his pioneering Afrofuturist vision to the screen with this surreal and truly otherworldly film version of his concept album. It’s a wild, kaleidoscopic whirl of science fiction, sharp social commentary, pseudo-blaxploitation stylistics, and thrilling concert performance, in which the pharaonic Ra and his Arkestra lead an intergalactic movement to resettle the Black race on their utopian space colony. Shot on location in Oakland in the early 1970s – in one of the film’s most iconic moments, Sun Ra opens an Outer Space Employment Agency to recruit Black youth to join him on the new planet – SPACE IS THE PLACE is a truly unique record of the music, visionary style and philosophy of one of the greatest jazz artists ever. “[Sun Ra’s] mythic science loomed quite largely throughout all of his musical masterpieces. He denounced earth as his home, opting instead for an affiliation with Saturn and an embracement of the mythology of ancient Egypt. For Sun Ra, music was not about getting rich or dying while trying, but instead it was a tone science in which the artist is supposed to find the right tone and key that resonates with his spirit so that his music can in turn be spiritually uplifting to the people. … From the outset you know that it is music that powers Sun Ra’s spaceship, so the spaceship becomes a metaphor for the black mind, in fact, the black soul.” – Lynne d Johnson, Popmatters.
New Documentary! SUN RA: DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, 2025, Firelight Media, 84 min. Poet, philosopher, Egyptologist, bandleader. Jazz visionary Sun Ra was all of these – and more. With his ever-evolving band, the Sun Ra Arkestra, he produced more than 200 albums, stretching the boundaries of free-form jazz while weaving ancient Egypt, interstellar metaphors, and scientific musings into a singular musical and spiritual vision of Afrofuturism that continues to reverberate across generations. Director Christine Turner takes us on an illuminating journey through the life of this multi-faceted artist, gracefully balancing recollections from the Arkestra’s still-devout band members and dancers with insightful interviews from music scholars, and unforgettable film and performance footage of Sun Ra himself. The result is a portrait – informative, inspiring, and mind-bending – of a man whose audacious vision, otherworldly imagination, and uncompromising artistry helped shape not only the sound of jazz, but the cultural landscape of the 20th century and beyond.
About Sun Ra Herman Poole Blount was born on May 22, 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama, and departed this earth on May 30, 1993, as Sun Ra. Along the way he became a conscientious objector, legally changed his name to Le Sony’r Ra, forged a vision of a Black Space Age future, created a big band that toured the world and continues to this day, wrote over 1000 jazz compositions, issued more than 200 self-produced records, pioneered the use of electronic keyboards, and published volumes of broadsheets and poetry. Sun Ra reached back in time to ancient Egypt to claim civilization as Black and fused it with the dawn of the Space Age to assert Blackness as the very nature of the “omniverse.” Compelling and strange, he claimed to have been “teleported” to Saturn, where he was told that the world would descend into chaos and that he must speak through music. Though his “Earth departure day” may have occurred more than three decades ago, his influence continues to grow with each successive generation. Our good friends at Streetlight Records will be selling vinyl before the Sun Ra double feature at The 418 Project, so come by early to grab some great records and be sure to visit their amazing store!! (https://streetlightrecords.com/)
$10 in advance, $15 at the door.
Doors open at 7:00 PM, film at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.
Last Event
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Motion Pacific: Adult Int. Modern
In this class, movers will wake up the senses through somatic and improvisational practices. Full bodied warm ups will use both standing combinations and floor work with an emphasis on alignment, breath, strength, and efficient movement. This class will also include across the floor combinations and accumulative phrase work. Throughout, dancers will use the expressive and creative body as a medium to practice internal and anatomical awareness. Some Dance Experience Required
Congolese Dancing with Vivien Bassaouamina Loubassou
Last Event
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Motion Pacific: Melissa Contemp. Jazz
Melissa Wiley started dancing at the age of four and is classically trained in tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop and contemporary dance. She competed for several years with Dance Magic Studio, based in Lancaster, CA. She began teaching at her studio through the competition team assistant's program and has been teaching tap, jazz, ballet and hip hop consistently for over 10 years. She loves working and interacting with students of all ages. Currently, she is also working with Cid Pearlman Performance Projects and has been a guest choreographer for Cabrillo College dance concerts.Melissa is also experienced in burlesque dancing, which has taken her to Portugal, Las Vegas and other venues throughout the bay area. She occasionally teaches burlesque workshops for adults and is always excited to perform and become involved with new challenges and projects.
Motion Pacific: Dance for PD
Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in a hybrid format. This means that you can join us on Zoom or in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.
Cielito Lindo Tango Practica
with Israel Bibriesca
Wednesdays 7-10pm Drop-in $8 Beginners and all levels welcome! Come join us for a fun night of Argentine Tango Practica at The 418 Project! The dance floor we enjoy in the main lobby is large enough to be divided into two areas, one designated for learning the basics & the other for sequence practice for beginners. This offering requires proof of vaccination, the use of a mask during class is optional.
Tango Class with Aaron and Yuki
Donation-based class to spread awareness of the joy of tango.
Wahine Beginning Class: Te Hau Nui School of Hula and Tahitian Dance
155 S. River St.
Santa Cruz CA, 95060
(831) 466-9770
community@the418project.org
Made with ❤️ by: The Electric Family