Antoine Hunter’s Urban Jazz Dance Company presents the 5th Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival “Deaf United Louder,” taking place from August 11-12 at 8 p.m. and August 13 at 4 p.m., the Dance Company announced. A “Meet the Artists Brunch” will take place August 12 at 11 a.m.
The Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival (BAIDDF) is an annual event produced by Urban Jazz Dance Company that consists of performances and workshops that highlight the important contributions that deaf and hard-of-hearing (HoH) artists make to the community, the Dance Company said in its announcement.
This year the festival will feature deaf artists from Germany, Russia, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Nigeria, New York, Missouri, Texas, and Washington D.C. There will be a diversity of sign languages, including but not limited to, Mexican Sign Language (LSM), British Sign Language (BSL), and Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL).
The festival will have appearances by deaf celebrities like Antoine Hunter, Rosa Lee Timm, and Kassandra Wedel (winner of “So You Think You Can Dance” Germany).
Deaf in Spotlight artists include Jacob Kujo Lyons, Ian Sanborn, Chris Fonseca, Isidore Niyongabo, Zahna Simon, and more!
Please note that the Sunday, 4 p.m. performance is a family-friendly matinee and will be shorter in length.
In addition to performances, the festival will feature workshops in jazz, hip-hop, ballet, ASL dance, and other types of dance classes taught by deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing artists who sign fluently. These workshops will be taught for both youth and adult participants in various California locations including Richmond, Santa Cruz, Oakland, San Francisco, South Bay, and other parts of the Bay Area.
For a full list of the workshops being offered August 8-9, please visit the Urban Jazz website here.
Cost:
$30 – at Door
$25 – online at Brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006
$12 – Youth (under 16)
Free – Babies
Group Discount – Please call (415) 863-9824
Source: Urban Jazz Dance Company
