FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Ruth Egherman (925) 583-2306
Open Your Eyes this Winter with the 2025 Bankhead Presents Season
Livermore, CA – (January 7, 2025) – Just a few days into the New Year, Livermore Valley Arts is thrilled to present a number of performances this winter that will have Tri-Valley audiences opening their eyes and their minds this January and February. From New York Times bestseller James Nestor Unlocking the Power of Breath with the Rae Dorough Speaker Series on Thursday, January 23, to the return of a girl-power-infused tap extravaganza in Syncopated Ladies: Live on Friday, February 14, to a vibrant journey of dance and celebration at Rhythm India: Bollywood & Beyond on Sunday, February 16, the winter will bring some insightful and lovely ways for audience members to expand their minds and hearts. All of these exciting speakers and performances will be at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
James Nestor is an author and journalist who has written for Scientific American, Outside, The New York Times, and more. His latest book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, was released in May 2020 by Riverhead/Penguin Random House and was an instant New York Times and London Sunday Times bestseller. Breath explores how the human species has lost the ability to breathe properly—and how to get it back. To date, Breath has sold more than 2.5 million copies and has been translated into more than 35 languages, being awarded the Best General Nonfiction Book by the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and a Finalist for Science Book of the Year by the Royal Society. He lives and breathes in San Francisco, and has spoken at Stanford Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, the United Nations, and more. Join us for this Rae Dorough Speaker Series engagement to discover the secret to solving workplace stress and burnout: breathe, with the engaging James Nestor, and learn how simply breathing can be key to transforming our lives—more than diet, sleep, or exercise. Tri-Valley audiences’ conventional wisdom about our most basic biological function
will be turned on its head at The Bankhead on January 23 in this timely, not-to-be-missed conversation. Sponsored in part by Jean King.
Girl power is back at The Bankhead! On Valentine’s Day, the Syncopated Ladies, a female tap dance band from Los Angeles, created by EMMY AWARD NOMINATED tap dancer and choreographer Chloe Arnold, a protege of Debbie Allen, are back in Downtown Livermore. Syncopated Ladies’ viral videos have amassed over 100 million views, and they have worked with megastar Beyoncé, FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance as the winner of the first dance crew battle and have performed on Good Morning America and at the US OPEN. They have also performed to sold-out audiences in their full-length concert, “Syncopated Ladies: Live!” This iconic all-female dance troupe will electrify The Bankhead once again on February 14 in a do-not-miss performance. Previous Bankhead hot seller.
Celebration. Jubilation. Bollywood. Rhythm India takes you on a journey of dance and celebration through Bollywood & Beyond! Tri-Valley audiences are invited to experience the vibrant costumes, dynamic music, and soulful rhythms of the “ghungroo” dancing bells from the echoing heartbeats of royal palaces and sacred temples to the swaying voices of desert villages and modern stages. Created by World Choreography Award Nominee & Telly Award Winning director & choreographer Joya Kazi, and featuring the company dancers of Joya Kazi Unlimited as seen on screens from Bollywood to Hollywood, this is a do-not-miss matinee performance on February 16. A Universal Dance Award Nominated multi-hyphenated artist, choreographer, actress, dancer, educator, and entrepreneur having founded her company at just sixteen years old, Joya’s work has earned her a spot on the DissDash list of Coolest South Asians, and Joya is featured on a public mural at the Artesia Library of Los Angeles County representing the city’s South Asian influence of art & culture. She is a member of the Emmys/Television Academy, has served on the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards Nominating Committee, and has also served on countless judging panels including at the World Choreography Awards. Behind the camera, she represents and casts the finest South Asian dance talent and consults on productions from stage to screen worldwide. Don’t miss this vibrant celebration onstage at The Bankhead.
Tickets for shows in the 2024-2025 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling
925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit LivermoreArts.org.
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: James Nestor: Unlocking the Power of Breath
Date/Time: Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 7:30pm
Tickets: $25—$65 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Syncopated Ladies: Live!
Date/Time: Friday, February 14, 2025, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25—$100 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Rhythm India: Bollywood and Beyond
Date/Time: Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 3:00pm
Tickets: $25—$90 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20% Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
