The Santa Monica College Global Motion World Dance Company will present its fall 2026 performance of dances from around the world Saturday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard.
SMC students will perform traditional and contemporary world dance styles, including West African, Asian, contemporary ballet, Mexican folklórico and salsa. The program includes works by guest artists, faculty and student choreographers, among them guest artists Christopher "Mayhem" Martinez and Liam Gifkins.
Martinez is a Latino multidisciplinary street dance artist and educator from Boyle Heights who trained with Versa-Style Street Dance Company and the Renovate House Dance program. He represented the United States as a Delegate of the Arts at international events in Europe and is in his third season as co-director of Future Shock Los Angeles, a youth dance company under Culture Shock Los Angeles.
Gifkins, an SMC Dance Department alum, is a professional choreographer, dancer and filmmaker specializing in whacking, vogue and hip-hop. His filmmaking has received international recognition, including an award at the London International Film Festival.
Faculty choreographers are Seda Aybay (contemporary ballet), Laura Canellias (salsa), Jennifer Jesswein (belly dance), Angela Jordan (West African), Raquel Ramirez (Mexican folklórico – Jalisco), Sri Susilowati (Indonesian – Saman) and Joseph Wiggan (tap). Guest choreographers also include Jackie Riedel and Alondra Ramirez.
The company is under the artistic direction of Raquel Ramirez, an SMC dance professor who founded and directs a folklórico performance group, and Susilowati, who is originally from Indonesia and creates works focused on community, gender and ethnicity. Costumes are handmade each season by professional costumer Patricia Oliva.
Judith Douglas, former chair of the SMC Dance Department, founded the company more than 50 years ago. It has performed throughout California and Mexico, as well as in Beijing; Bracciano, Italy; Santiago, Chile; Lloret de Mar, Spain; and Paris.
Advance general admission tickets are $20 plus a modest service charge at smc.edu/tickets or by calling 310-434-3005 (Monday-Friday; limited hours). Tickets on the day of the performance are $23 plus a modest service charge at The Broad Stage box office. Free parking is available, and seating is first-come, first-served.
More information is available at smc.edu/dance or by calling 310-434-8763. Performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff