Event

Urban Jazz Dance

"Dancing has shown me that people can reach their dreams, even people with disabilities. Dancing is a way to express oneself, a way to communicate. As a person, who is deaf, I have found dance is a way to communicate with both hearing and the deaf world." Antoine Hunter

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center's Dance Up Close/East Bay series is proud to present Urban Jazz Dance under the direction of Antoine Hunter for just four performances August 19 & 20 and 26 & 27 at 8pm in Berkeley, California.

Oakland-based Urban Jazz Dance is a convergence of artistic forces, where raw energy, rooted in freedom and syncopation is expressed through athleticism, lyrical flow, and high-energy movement.

A proud member of both the African-American and Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities, Mr. Hunter and his company will present works that integrate jazz dance with ballet, modern, hip hop, African and American Sign Language.

Tickets are $15-18 and a special VIP Benefit Party will follow the show on Saturday, August 27th. Benefit tickets are $35 and include the show and after-party.

Guest artist Fred Michael Beam will be joining Hunter and his company for the second weekend of performances. Mr. Beam founded the award-winning, non-profit organization known as Invisible Hands, Inc., which promotes Deaf culture awareness through art and entertainment (www.invisiblehands.com).

Seating is limited to 60 audience members per show, so advance purchase of tickets is strongly suggested.