Dancers to pop, lock and drop at Hip Hop DanceFest

Among the companies are local crowd favorites like Mix’d Ingrdnts, Loose Change, the area’s “dance circus” known as San Francisco Academy of Villains, Spulu, and the highly charged SoulForce Dance Company.

Crazy high energy abounds whenever the San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest takes to the stage, and this year — the festival’s 17th — promises to wow as 16 crews from around the world convene on the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre for the three-day event.

Among the companies are local crowd favorites like Mix’d Ingrdnts, Loose Change, the area’s “dance circus” known as San Francisco Academy of Villains, Spulu, and the highly charged SoulForce Dance Company.

International guests include Japan’s pop-locking dynamic duo Hilty & Bosch and the Netherlands’ World B-Boy Crew Champions the Ruggeds. The European troupe will be on both of the programs scheduled for the weekend, as will London hip-hop’s theatrical powerhouse Cindy Claes and Memphis jooker Ladia Yates.

— Mary Ellen Hunt