Founded in 2005, Push Dance Company (“Push”) has embraced new media and technology to express its cross-cultural perspectives. Under the direction of Raissa Simpson, the company dares to work with visual artists alongside pyrotechnic dancing, music collaborations, community projects & touring to critical-acclaim.

Push is recipient of Theatre Bay Area’s CA$H Grant, CHIME (Choreographers in Mentorship Exchange); Residencies at the Garage Artspace and Zaccho Dance Theater; two San Francisco Arts Commission’s Arts & Communities: Innovative Partnerships and four consecutive Zellerbach Family Foundation awards with one in combination with William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation.

The hip-hop generational modern dance company has distinguished itself through its dedication to athleticism- bringing “Art to the People”. Recently the company has toured & performed at the Washington Ensemble Theater (Seattle), Laney College (Oakland), 418 Project (Santa Cruz), Dance Mission Theater (SF), Cowell Theater (SF), ODC Commons Theater (SF), MoAD SF- Museum of African Diaspora  & San Jose State University where, the company was awarded the “Peoples Choice” award honor. The company has offered master classes, workshops and performance opportunities to students at UC Santa Cruz, Berkeley High School, CounterPulse, Alonzo King Lines Dance Center, ODC School and many more. Additionally, the company has formed community partnership with 3rd St Youth Center & Clinic in Bayview Hunters Point offering underserved youth positive creative outlets of expression.

The core subjects of Ms. Simpson’s multidisciplinary works address race, gender, identity, history, and the digital divide. Her choreography is spearheaded Push’s re-visioning to make work that directly impacts people within the community. Push has three areas of programming: 1) create non-traditional dances through innovative collaborations; 2) bring together non-dancers with professional artists through community projects; 3) mark the importance of belonging to the national dance community through touring.