Founded in 1980, Zaccho Dance Theatre is an innovative force in both the world of dance and our home community of Bayview Hunters Point, San Francisco’s African American Arts & Cultural District. Zaccho Dance Theatre creates and presents performance work that investigates dance as it relates to place. Artistic Director Joanna Haigood and collaborators pursue unique and challenging visions of dance, including spectacular aerial choreography, evocative site-specific performances, and culturally significant subject matter. Zaccho collaborates with an extraordinary group of diverse artists to create unique and innovative performances and elevate the work to international acclaim.
The Zaccho Studio in Bayview Hunters Point is one of the largest in San Francisco (4,200 sq ft) and utilized for rehearsals, performances, community events, and educational activities for youth and adults. We are San Francisco’s oldest Black-run dance company and the only professional dance company based in Bayview Hunters Point.
Zaccho Dance Theatre draws inspiration from social histories and racial justice themes, and returns it to the community through youth arts education, adult classes, and artists in residency programs, many at low or no-cost to participants. Zaccho also produces the biennial San Francisco Aerial Arts Festival. As a longstanding nonprofit program, we pride ourselves on maintaining our artistic integrity, social consciousness, and community involvement, and invite you to attend, participate, educate, and donate however you can.
The company's Youth Performing Arts Program (YPAP) is a collaborative youth arts education program developed to enhance classroom learning, educating both the mind and the physical body. YPAP was created to integrate our nationally renowned, highly innovative performance work with the life experiences and possibilities of our young Bayview Hunters Point neighbors. For over 30 years, YPAP has served 100-150 children annually by offering free in-school and after-school classes and performance opportunities to public school students 7-17 years old.
