Antoine Hunter, a deaf choreographer and the founder of Real Urban Jazz Dance, is on the brink of launching the 13th annual Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival (BAIDDF), an event he has shaped into a beacon for Deaf performers worldwide.
As Hunter prepares for this year’s festival, scheduled from August 8 to 10 at Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco, he reflects on the journey that has led to this moment.
Back in the late 2000s, Hunter spent countless hours on MySpace seeking out Deaf dancers and artists, particularly those who were people of color.
His dedication to finding and supporting these performers took him across great distances to witness their artistry firsthand and build networks, which he hoped would culminate in a rich, inclusive dance festival.
Today, that vision has blossomed into an annual celebration that draws Deaf dancers from far and wide, featuring performances from groups hailing from Botswana, Colombia, Jamaica, and beyond.
“This festival has become a lighthouse,” says Hunter, emphasizing the importance of love and access in the arts community.
He believes in a strong ethic of mutual support, telling others, “If you come to my house, then I must come to your house.”
His commitment to accessibility is a key feature of this year’s festival, moving beyond the standard practice of providing an occasional ASL interpreter.
The event will include a variety of interactive elements such as face-painting, ASL storytelling, dance workshops, meet-the-artist panels, and main performances, all in ADA-compliant venues.
The festival aims to ensure audiences have access to multiple forms of communication, offering multilingual sign language interpreters, open captions, and audio descriptions.
Though plans for live streaming of the festival are in the works, Hunter emphasizes the challenges involved, stating that additional resources are required to ensure high-quality streaming.
He shares, “Streaming takes additional resources — interpreters, tech, captioning — and we want to do it right. We’re just being mindful to expand sustainably and equitably.”
This year, the call for sustainability has become even more vital due to significant cuts to arts and disability funding at both local and federal levels.
Zahna Simon, a dancer, director, and assistant director for the festival, notes that the Bay Area has a rich history of creative rebellion.
However, the rising cost of living and lack of institutional support for Disabled and BIPOC artists poses a challenge to their endeavors without robust community backing.
Simon, who is also Deaf, views the festival as a necessary response to recent attacks on the Americans with Disabilities Act from the current administration, as well as a ten-plus-year project crucial for dismantling stereotypes about people with disabilities.
In its early years, there were doubts about the capabilities of Deaf individuals in dance.
Now, after thirteen years, the festival not only continues to thrive but also serves to educate funders and the public on the contributions of Deaf-led arts organizations.
Hunter has chosen the theme “Reclaiming Space, Reclaiming Our Language, and Sharing Deaf Education at All Ages” for this year’s festival, highlighting the significance of representation.
He expresses his joy at the mainstream success of the film “Sinners,” which placed a spotlight on Black American Sign Language, a vital form of communication that he has long utilized.
Despite the challenges posed by diminishing funding, Hunter remains resolute.
He perceives the societal prejudice emanating from high-level politics as a catalyst for deeper engagement and activism within the festival’s framework.
“We thrive because we must,” he insists, framing the festival as an act of resilience and empowerment against systemic inequities.
“The festival isn’t funded by pity; it’s fueled by power. Every ticket sold, every grant won, every story told is an act of defiance and survival.”
With the festival fast approaching, Hunter and his team are poised for another year of inspiring art, community, and progress, encouraging all to recognize and participate in this celebration of Deaf culture and expression.
The 13th annual Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival is set to run from August 8 to 10 at Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco, with tickets priced between $14 and $40.
image source from：missionlocal
