Heidi Duckler Dance Gala, Gather Together: We will at the Wilfandel

Los Angeles-based Heidi Duckler Dance (HDD) is celebrating their 36th annual gala, Gather Together, at the Wilfandel Club in West Adams on October 23rd! Join the company for an unforgettable celebration filled with dance and music in the garden at the historic Wilfandel Club. The HDD 36th annual gala will be an evening to remember with champagne, hors d'oeuvres, dinner, dancing, and an online auction. This celebration will be held outdoors in the beautiful grounds of the Wilfandel and will honor two women who have made a significant impact on Los Angeles throughout their careers: Avis Ridley-Thomas, Executive Director of the Institute of Nonviolence in Los Angeles; and Zahirah Mann, President & CEO of SLATE-Z, a place-based initiative whose mission is to revitalize South Los Angeles by moving residents to economic opportunity. During the event, Heidi Duckler Dance will entertain guests with live music, the screening of our recent film, Lost & Found, a film inspired in part by Paul Williams’ Founders Church in Koreatown, and performances by the company and St Mary’s Academy. All proceeds from the online auction and ticket sales will go to further Heidi Duckler Dance’s mission which is rooted in democratic dance, arts education, and spatial justice. The Wilfandel Club is the oldest African-American women's club in Los Angeles. It was established in 1945 with the goal of promoting civic betterment, philanthropic endeavors, and general culture by entrepreneur and community leader, Fannie Williams and philanthropist, Della Williams–the wife of Paul Revere Williams, the noted Los Angeles Architect who was the first African-American to become an architect west of Mississippi and posthumously awarded the prestigious AIA Gold Medal. Although many of Williams’ buildings have been demolished, the Wilfandel Club, a beloved personal project remains. Heidi Duckler Dance (HDD) is rooted in democratic dance, art education and spatial justice, creating site specific work since 1985. About Heidi Duckler Dance: Initially founded in 1985, HDD is a pioneer in producing interdisciplinary performances. The company develops and rehearses each multi-sensory experience in the site where the work is performed. HDD advances social equity in under-resourced communities by providing opportunities for audience members and students to interact with meaningful spaces, both public and private, that they may not otherwise have access to. These innovative experiences allow participants to view these places, and their communities, in new and interesting ways. Over the past 35 years, HDD’s Artistic Director, Heidi Duckler, has created over 400 original works locally, nationally and internationally, including in many LA neighborhoods such as: Downtown LA (the Historic Core, Arts District, Produce District and Fashion District), Boyle Heights, Koreatown, Studio City, Van Nuys, Hollywood, Venice, San Pedro and South LA. Duckler’s work has been internationally recognized in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Urban Arts Festival 2007), Russia (Link Vostok International East-West Arts Exchange 2010), Montreal (Transatlantique Quartier 2013), Germany (Tanzmesse, 2014 and 2018), Australia (Brisbane Festival 2014), Cuba (Ciudad en Movimiento 2016) and Chile (Puerto de Ideas 2018). This year HDD was awarded grants for upcoming performances and arts education initiatives including; LA County Department of Arts and Culture, City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs, New Music/USA, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, City of Ojai, City of West Hollywood and Culver City, Green Foundation, Jerry Kohl, Olga Garay-English, California Community Foundation - Arts Recovery, GROW Annenberg Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. HDD produces over 25 original productions each year, and thousands of diverse residents are served annually. Visit http://www.heididuckler.org for more information