Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival
IN-Person
Mission: 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 our community.
Want to participate as performer or want to help?
Please Contact us
Artistic Director:
Mr. Antoine Hunter
Assistant Director:
Ms. Zahna Simon
Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival
2026
All in person!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION -
PLEASE WATCH VIDEO
BELOW
For Additional Access Requests such as DeafBlind, interpreters and Close up interpretation please email mailto:[email protected] by Wednesday July 23rd.
Urban Jazz Dance Company team
explain our festival in ASL
(Play the video)
Not to be missed,
14th Annual Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival
features local Bay Area talent and will be flying artists into the Bay Area, CaLifornia from Washington, DC, Arkansas, New York, and many parts of California, and more!
We are proud to feature diverse sign languages including,
but not limited to: Spanish speaking/voicing,
American Sign Language, and
International Sign Language.
Access Information for All Shows:
Access Information for All Shows is important to UJDC:
•ASL/English interpretation at each show
•Deaf International Sign Language interpretation
• CART LIVE CAPTIONS (SATURDAY AUGUST 15th ONLY)
• WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
and
Live Audio Description and Haptic Access Tour on Saturday August 15th, 7:30pm
by Gravity Access Services for blind and low vision audience members.
Haptic Access Tour begins at 6:30pm
Please call 510-575-9711 or email [email protected] to pre-register and reserve a headset.
For Additional Access Requests such as DeafBlind, interpreters and Close up interpretation please email mailto:[email protected] by Wednesday July 23rd.
14th Annual Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival
features local Bay Area talent and will be flying artists into the Bay Area, CaLifornia from Washington, DC, Arkansas, New York, and many parts of California, and more!
We are proud to feature diverse sign languages including,
but not limited to: Spanish speaking/voicing,
American Sign Language, and
International Sign Language.
Access Information for All Shows:
Access Information for All Shows is important to UJDC:
•ASL/English interpretation at each show
•Deaf International Sign Language interpretation
• CART LIVE CAPTIONS (SATURDAY AUGUST 15th ONLY)
• WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
and
Live Audio Description and Haptic Access Tour on Saturday August 15th, 7:30pm
by Gravity Access Services for blind and low vision audience members.
Haptic Access Tour begins at 6:30pm
Please call 510-575-9711 or email [email protected] to pre-register and reserve a headset.
For Additional Access Requests such as DeafBlind, interpreters and Close up interpretation please email mailto:[email protected] by Wednesday July 23rd.
Where:
Aug14 to 15
Dance mission theater
3316 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110.
(NEAR 24 MISSION BART STATION)
Where:
Aug16
Presidio National Park
(Presidio Tunnel Tops)
210 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94129
URBAN JAZZ DANCE COMPANY TEAM
EXPLAIN OUR FESTIVAL IN ASL
(PLAY THE VIDEO)
Date and Time:
URBAN JAZZ DANCE COMPANY TEAM
EXPLAIN OUR FESTIVAL IN ASL
TWO Different location
(For ASL and spoken english video click here)
Date and Time:
Fri, Aug 14th - 7:30pm (Click here-Tickets)
(Dance mission theater)
Sat, Aug 15th- 7:30pm (Click here- ticket)
(DAnce Mission theater- SF)
Sun, Aug 16th- 1:00-4:00pm (Click here-RSVP)
(Presidio Tunnel Tops)
Price:
There is two ways buy your ticket:
You can buy ticket on-line or at the door but the price will be different for that show.
Purchase General Tickets
BUY at the door
cost:
- $40General admission
- ($12 for Youth ages 7-16,
- and babies cost FREE!)
- Or
BUY online
cost:
$25General admission
Youth (under 18) Ask your parent permission!!
LAST year we taught people how to buy ticket - please watch same for this year
Click here
Want to volunteer ?
Please sign up
Come take Mx Hunter's classes
Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival WorkShops
Workshop
&
Artist Panel
Descriptions
Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival workshop
Come join our 14th Annual Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival Workshops taught by Deaf artists!
All workshops and presentations are open to both Deaf and Hearing
More details read below
and
Cost: Free
Access Information for Workshops: ASL, English voice interpretation
Workshop Descriptions below:
Friday Morning Workshop
&
Saturday Morning
Panel
You can watch on line for the panel on
Facebook @urbajazzdance or Youtube: UrbanJazzDanceCompany
Or
Zoom with the Amazing Disability Cultural Center
See Image below and click on
English
|
SPanish
|
New information
from Artists Panel:
&
Sunday morning
free Youth dance Workshop
Sunday afternoon
Intersection for the Arts
is the fiscal sponsor for
Urban Jazz Dance Company’s Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival. Visit: https://www.theintersection.org/
“This activity was supported in part by San Francisco Grants for the Arts, the Fleishhacker Foundation, the Zellerbach Family Foundation and fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts.”
Antoine Hunter PurpleFireCrow Director of festival
The Director's notes:
this year, we enter a sacred chapter--
one of transformation, of loud and quiet celebration, and of deep remembrance.
There are people we’ve lost—beloved souls whose names we cannot say, and some we are not yet ready to share.and some we honor them loudly from the top of our heart. We carry them in our movement, in our silence, in our dance. We celebrate them gently, and we remember them with love.
I’m especially excited for this year’s Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival. Artists are flying in from all corners of the world—because this festival is more than an event. For many, it’s a lifeline. A space of hope. A sacred circle that reminds us: you belong.
This festival is bigger than me. Bigger than any single artist or administrator. It exists because people believe in the healing power of being seen, being valued, and being heard.
Here, Deaf, Disabled, and hearing people alike come to share their stories, not just to be witnessed—but to witness each other.
As I always say:
Just because you can hear, doesn’t mean you know how to listen.
So listen with your heart.
With your spirit.
With your eyes.
With your whole being.
And I promise--
I will shift to meet you.
With love and purpose,
Antoine Hunter / PurpleFireCrow
Founder & Director
this year, we enter a sacred chapter--
one of transformation, of loud and quiet celebration, and of deep remembrance.
There are people we’ve lost—beloved souls whose names we cannot say, and some we are not yet ready to share.and some we honor them loudly from the top of our heart. We carry them in our movement, in our silence, in our dance. We celebrate them gently, and we remember them with love.
I’m especially excited for this year’s Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival. Artists are flying in from all corners of the world—because this festival is more than an event. For many, it’s a lifeline. A space of hope. A sacred circle that reminds us: you belong.
This festival is bigger than me. Bigger than any single artist or administrator. It exists because people believe in the healing power of being seen, being valued, and being heard.
Here, Deaf, Disabled, and hearing people alike come to share their stories, not just to be witnessed—but to witness each other.
As I always say:
Just because you can hear, doesn’t mean you know how to listen.
So listen with your heart.
With your spirit.
With your eyes.
With your whole being.
And I promise--
I will shift to meet you.
With love and purpose,
Antoine Hunter / PurpleFireCrow
Founder & Director
Last year we lost two Dancers who passed away. Today we still honor them
|
Linda Steele II
|
Mel Chua
|
Just share what Happen at the end of the year for 2023
!!! EXCITING NEW !!!
We Launched
new website!
WWW.DeafDAW.com
#DeafWokeArtisticWellness
Mission Statement
and
Purpose
and
Purpose
|
Deaf Woke Artistic Wellness (#DeafWokeArtisitcWellness) focuses on the community of Deaf, Hard of Hearing (HOH), DeafBlind, and Plus-Disabled BIPOC people who face challenges in their daily lives, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
#DeafWokeArtisticWellness enlightens them to share their daily resources to support, uplift, and raise awareness with each other, including with others who come to this center of self-help and educational resources. This ideal brings the BIPOC community to learn and thrive creatively in their daily lives, improving wellness and becoming better in their mental health. |
ALSO, THIS CENTER OF SELF-ADVOCATE RESOURCES ENCOURAGES THEM TO GAIN NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT BECOMING INDEPENDENT. THE ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS AND TRANSCRIPTS IN FRIENDLY VISUALS GIVES FULL ACCESS TO THE BIPOC COMMUNITY OF DEAF, HOH, DEAFBLIND, AND PLUS-DISABLED PEOPLE OF ANY AGE, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, GENDER, AND RELIGION.
#DEAFWOKEARTISITCWELLNESS BRINGS TO THEM THE GREAT BENEFITS OF IMPROVED LIVING SKILLS FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CREATIVELY IN EVERY INSPIRATION IN WELL BEINGS. |