This has been an extraordinary journey. Forty-five years is a long time to commit to anything, especially in the arts, where survival is a constant challenge. We have had the most amazing adventures, profound learning experiences, and rushes of the most potent joy. We have been blessed, and we certainly have been moved.
As Artistic Director of Zaccho Dance Theatre, I have been privileged to work with many brilliant artists and administrators. Together we have made significant contributions to the fields of site-specific and aerial dance through performances, arts education, and training, and have provided countless opportunities for artists to develop their creative voices.
Since 1980 our professional dance company has built an incredible body of work and been recognized as one of the country’s most innovative and influential performance companies. Our stages have included grain terminals, a clock tower, the pope’s palace, military forts, an airport, and a mile of urban neighborhood streets in the South Bronx. We have created intentional, culturally-relevant performances within these environments that inspire valuable discussions about socio-political issues and shared experiences.
In 1989 Zaccho Studio opened in the heart of San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. Here we train and rehearse our professional company, provide arts education to local youth and adults, engage the BVHP community in dialogue and creative collaboration, and support the broader Bay Area dance community through residency opportunities and performance programs.
In 2014, Zaccho founded the biennial San Francisco Aerial Arts Festival. The vision was to create a world-class festival devoted to aerial artistry in all its shapes and forms.
Looking ahead, my greatest hope is that Zaccho will continue to serve as a space where imagination, courage, and community converge. We remain committed to creating work that sparks dialogue, nurtures empathy, and amplifies the voices of rising artists. Our story is one of resilience and deep-rooted connection to place, to people, and to the belief that art can transform lives. As we move toward year 50, we carry forward the same sense of curiosity, adventure, and responsibility that has guided us since the very beginning.
In Art & Community, Joanna Haigood