About Kinetech Arts
Kinetech Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, brings together dancers, scientists, and digital artists to explore the dynamic intersection of movement, science, and technology. Our artistic journey delves deep into the ever-changing relationship between humans and technology, contemplating its profound impact on the human-machine ecosystem.
Founded by scientist Weidong Yang and choreographer Daiane Lopes Da Silva, Kinetech Arts (KA) has evolved into a thriving community of interdisciplinary makers, capturing meaningful discoveries from unexpected sources. Over 10 full-length productions, both locally and abroad, have attracted diverse artists and collaborators, all eager to challenge their creative process through open performance and experimentation.
Within the SF Bay Area, KA has performed at ODC Theatre, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, CounterPulse, David Ruth Glass Sculpture Studio, Moscone Center, Headlands Center for the Arts, Djerassi, De Young Museum, among others. In Europe, KA performed in Italy, Germany and Greece. In 2023, Daiane and Weidong talked about their research on Dance and AI at The DANC3 & T3CH seminar in Porto Alegre, Brazil. In 2024, they returned to the Dance Lab at NCCAkron.
Kinetech Arts has been supported by various foundations such as Zellerbach Family Foundation, Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, Rainin Foundation, CA$H Grants and Creative Work Funds. Our major residencies, include Lucas Artists Residency, 836M, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Headlands Center for the Arts, ODC Theater (currently Home Company), among others.
Our vision at KA is to unite the performing arts, science, and tech communities through immersive live performances and interdisciplinary collaborations. By seamlessly integrating technology like data physicalization, interactive installations, biometric devices, cymatics, and projection mapping, we observe how technology can become an intrinsic part of artistic expression, elevating storytelling and emotional impact beyond mere tools. This convergence of dance with emerging science and technologies empowers innovative ideas to emerge on a cutting-edge platform.
Photos by Weidong Yang.
The KA community has grown through our free public events that provide visibility to Bay Area artists and accessible creative space for collaboration and networking. Since 2013, our weekly Open Lab has nurtured an environment for somatic, scientific, and technological research, where dancers, scientists, musicians, and technologists freely experiment and share ideas. Embracing playfulness and curiosity, we welcome unconventional ideas and recognize that experimentation often involves failure—an integral part of the discovery process. Since 2014, our monthly Y-Exchange provides a public, intersectional platform for featured artists and scientists to share and discuss their life’s work. During the post-presentation Q&A, the audience explores the juxtaposition of these works side-by-side, engaging in conversations on the crossover of themes and gaining insights into inspirations and challenges faced across research and creative processes. We also host an annual DanceHack, a unique 3-day event that brings together over 100 performers and developers. In a high-energy, open, and slightly anarchic environment, teams rapidly prototype ideas into short performances, showcasing unconventional applications of emerging technologies. We are excited to return after a 3-year hiatus due to Covid, as this event has become one of our most successful community-building endeavors across the Bay Area performing arts and tech spheres.
Board Members
Celeste Lococo, Daiane Lopes da Silva, David Ruth, Don Kimber, Hannah Regev, John Heimann and Ian Winters.
Partners and Grants
