Zaccho is an innovative force in both the world of dance and our home community of San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP). Zaccho 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, elevating the work to international acclaim.

Zaccho Studio in BVHP is one of the largest in San Francisco (4,200 sq ft), 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 BVHP.

Zaccho draws inspiration from social histories and racial justice themes, and returns it to the community through youth arts education, adult classes, and Artists-in-Residence programs, many at low or no-cost to participants. Zaccho also produces the biennial SF Aerial Arts Festival. As a longstanding nonprofit program, we pride ourselves on maintaining our artistic integrity, social consciousness, and community involvement.

Our Youth Performing Arts Program (YPAP) is a collaborative youth arts education program developed to enhance classroom learning, educating both the mind and physical body. YPAP was created to integrate our nationally renowned, highly innovative performance work with the life experiences of our young BVHP neighbors. For over 30 years, YPAP has served 100-250 children annually by offering free in-school and after-school classes and performance opportunities to public school students 7-17 years old.

Launched in 2002, YPAP also hosts the Zaccho Youth Company, a pre-professional aerial dance company. Under the direction of Artistic Director Haigood, company members (ages 9 through 17) collaborate in the creative process by contributing important conceptual and choreographic material.