Want to know who's who in Oakland? Oakland's Own will spotlight Oaklander's who are making moves and making a difference. Get to know them in their own words and support them in their upcoming endeavors!
Carla Service
Owner, Dance-A-Vision Entertainment
Home Town:
I grew up in the bay area
Current Town:
Home base for me is in Downtown Oakland at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Performing Arts formerly known as the Alice Arts Center.
What keeps you busy:
We dance, oh my goodness we dance and that’s one of the fabulous things I love about Oakland, California. We have a wide diversity of dance in Oakland, not to mention the people. There’s people from all over the world here. People visit Oakland, not just San Francisco, to see the diversity we have here. If you name a country, we have it. My favorite thing to do in the city of Oakland is dance and create space for others to dance! I love to make you dance and most of all children, anyone. Our dancers have traveled all over the world and I am working on the whole world! I've been half way around and I’m working on the rest, but I always come back to home base.
What's up next:
Dance-A-Vision continues to create something new in the city of Oakland. Speaking of something new, we’re going to start an event where we will bring the arts in the nightclub, we’re bringing the arts up in the club so to speak. This club is in downtown Oakland on 3rd and Broadway. It's actually called Club Anton but during that night it will be Dance-A-Vision After Dark, an Oakland Cabaret if you will. We’re bringing in circus acts, dancers, lyrical jazz, hip-hop, a little bit of cabaret, a little bit of burlesque, singers and more. After the live performance, everyone can join us on the dance floor to live dj dancing. So if you are a person who's looking for more than just a drink and you would like to be entertained, then this is the place for you. Why should Saturday's get all the fun! Oakland Cabaret/Dance-A-Vision After Dark will be every last Thursday of the month at Club Anton on 3rd & Broadway.
Your favorite Oakland neighborhood:
Where ever I am that's my favorite spot
Your favorite view in Oakland:
There are times when I do have a moment or I accidently get lost. I enjoy seeing the architecture especially the old architecture of the homes and the buildings that are in the city of Oakland. There is a lot of history here and if you want to know, especially these days, you can just push a button and find out the history of some of the architecture. Such as the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Performing Arts, it was once an all woman's building in the 1920's, home of the Oakland Opera Lecture Club.
Your Oaklander insider tip:
Just go get lost because you will see things that you've never seen before. Unfortunately I get lost a lot, but I see things I've never seen before and I meet people I've never met before. The people are one of the gems in the city of Oakland.
Your ideal day spent in Oakland:
Creating, performing, dancing and planning because I love what I do and I love teaching and working with Oakland's children.
Your Oakland Heroes/Heroines:
I want to give a little shout out to a person that is from the city of Oakland, who knew I was going to be in this field of art and dance before I did when I was younger. They took my hand, smacked it and said hey you have to put your time in to it. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? It's hard work you can't just do something half, you know, you have to do it whole. I want to give Patricia Turner a shoutout and tell her thank you for that because here I am now, at the age I am now and doing it and doing it well. What I do takes discipline, time and energy, but I enjoy it.
I'm a proud Oaklander because:
If you come here you will get the root, the root of what the person is trying to put out from their heart, their gut and their soul. I am one of Oakland’s Own, keep dancing!
Dance-A-Vision After Dark
Thursday, March 28th
9PM
$15 at the door
Club Anton
428 3rd Street, Oakland
For more information contact Dance-A-Vision:
Phone: 510-763-5180
