PARKING LOT

hi, everyone -

This is bad news, both for Boogie and Dance Jam, especially right before the New Year's Eve party at Boogie...maybe we can make a difference through community action and activism! Phone numbers to call are listed below.

in dancing -- and parking -- community,

christina

Crisis at the Sawtooth/Kawneer Building

We've got a sudden crisis down at the Sawtooth/Kawneer building at 8th and Dwight, the largest arts and crafts building in the city, housing over 50 studios, including performance spaces and a disabled center. We are a cultural resource to the entire city of Berkeley, serving thousands of people. We've suddenly been notified that we're losing the City parking lot across the street on December 28.This will be a disaster for the building and for the entire surrounding neighborhood. The parking lot, with around 50 spaces, is a community resource for adjoining blocks as well. This will literally shut down many of the studios in our building, and destroy our vibrant creative community.The lot is owned by Bayer, but was leased to the city for many years as part of the long-term agreement. The lease has run out and Bayer has suddenly put up a sign that they are taking it back and cars will be towed. Two weeks notice. At the holidays.Five years ago the city negotiated a 5-year extension on the lot. At that time the owner of the Sawtooth/Kawneer building offered to buy the lot and retain it as community parking. A group of other local businesses also offered to buy the lot for parking. But Bayer refused to sell, and said at that time that they would be taking it back. The City told us that they recognized the importance of the lot for the neighborhood, and they would try to renegotiate it with Bayer before the end of the lease. Back then it was too early to put it on our calendars. It was of course on Bayer's calendar.The City Manager needs to intervene. The importance of this lot for the neighborhood cannot be over estimated. It's cutting off our water, destroying a vital piece of our habitat.Please help us bring this to the public's attention. We are asking everyone to phone and email the mayor, the city manager, District 2 councilmember Moore, and the entire city council. A list of contact numbers is below. Notify your friends.Thank you.

Sawtooth Building Emergency Parking Committee
Contact Clover Catskill <clover@jps.net>
John Curl <jcurl@red-coral.net>

 

 

WE NEED DEEJAYS

Not just any deejays but someone who can appreciate the many genres, beats and tempos the world has to offer. Whether it be Latin, African, M. Eastern, Japanese; or jazz, house, classical, electronic, oldies, R&B, etc…Someone who can make you want to twist, jump, and play, and express yo' self.

Someone who can create a quiet stillness to allow the dancefloor to warm-up, build it up to a rollercoaster wave of beats and tempos, and add his/her own taste of groovy, sultry, and playful style.

And of course we want a deejay who is friendly, open to suggestions, and easy(going) to work with. Must be available Sundays(in Berkeley).

If you are what we are looking for, please make a sample of your music(following the above mention) and give it to Clari and/or Christina. We look forward to meeting the many talents out there.

 

WEDNESDAYS CLOSED

With mixed feelings, we've decided to close Wednesday Boogie for a while, probably for the summer. Clari and I need a break from carrying the dance, financially and in terms of the workload. We've lost a couple of deejays lately and our schedules do not allow for us to deejay several times a month on Wednesday nights. Numbers have also continued to be low. We've done extra marketing and had several successful special events lately but they have not carried over in terms of increased attendance, and we've lost a lot of our regulars who don't like the marley floor at City Dance Studio.

We still believe in the possibility of a successful Boogie in San Francisco. Here's how you can help:

1. Help us find a dance space in a relatively safe, accessible neighborhood in SF, with a hardwood floor, available on Wednesday nights by 8 pm (we might consider other weeknights also), for a reasonable rate ($30/hour or so), probably at least 1400 sq. ft.

2. Help us find deejays who want to support the mission of Boogie as a smoke-free, alcohol-free, freestyle dance space, who like to play a wide range of music, and are easy to work with.

Those are the key issues right now. We also know that these dances tend to slow down in the summer and both Clari and I have plans to be out of town a lot this summer.

Thanks for your support, past, present, and future -- and keep holding the vision of a new home for Boogie in SF, perhaps starting in September!

in dancing community,

christina and clari

p.s. and do join us at Sunday Boogie in Berkeley -- 2525 8th Street at Dwight, 7:30-11 pm.

 

415-820-1452

messages@sfbarefootboogie.com

2525 8th Street at Dwight, Berkeley