Festival Page

Group Bio

Jubilee American Dance Theatre  is a performing arts ensemble founded in 1999 and based in Berkeley, California. We honor the great tradition of five centuries of American dance in all its diversity. Our original choreographies strive to tell the story of the rich history of our country and its many traditions and are intensively researched for historical authenticity. Our performers are a diverse collection spanning different ages, interests, ethnicities, and dance backgrounds.

We perform the traditional dances of the American majority groups as well as from other American regions and cultural sectors including Hawaiians, African Americans, and Cajuns. American social dances developed over the past two centuries area also in our repertoire. Thus a Jubilee show may include diverse numbers from the Lindy Hop to square dancing, from Appalachian clogging to Shim Sham, from Cajun Two Step to Kentucky Running Sets, and from Hambone to California Gold Miner squares.

Jubilee tours include a dance band equally expert at the diversity of American musical styles. Our musicians and singers accompany our dancers and perform traditional music on their own with songs that range from bluegrass to the blues. We create our own period costumes, an essential part of our dance productions. Our performers are also expert at teaching simple American dances, music, and songs to audiences of all ages and at running workshops for more experienced dancers.

Jubilee is directed by choreographer Rebecca Coulter and generally tours with a group of about 25 dancers, musicians, singers, and staff. We’ve performed at fifteen international folk festivals throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the USA. In our California base, we’ve appeared in numerous San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festivals and at many other dance venues, as well as performing and teaching in local schools, libraries, and retirement centers.

The word “jubilee” means a celebration. We celebrate our love of dance through performance.