Deaf Dance Academy aims to remove physical obstacles at int'l festival

The Deaf Dance Academy will represent Turkey at the fourth Bay Area Deaf Dance Festival that will take place in San Francisco between Aug. 12 and Aug. 14. Apart from Turkey, the U.K., Mexico, Israel, Germany, France, Switzerland, Wales, Russia, Azerbaijan, Paraguay and Panama will be represented with various dance companies at the festival.

Deaf Dance Academy Art Director and academic at the Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) Salim Sınar said they will stage their show with their hearing-impaired dancers throughout the festival. He said that the academy has been preparing for this festival for quite some time and they will offer training sessions focusing on traditional Turkish folk dances and instruments to participants from other countries during the festival. "We are very proud to represent our country at this international festival especially during these hard times for Turkey and Turkish people," added Sınar.

About Deaf Dance Academy

Salim Sınar was "inspired and impressed" by the talent of the hearing-impaired people he knew with and decided to established a dance company for hearing impaired dancers. The Deaf Dance Academy's first ever show "Düğün" (The Wedding Ceremony) premiered at Fulya Arts Center in Istanbul on Oct. 22, 2015. Their critically acclaimed show was staged with help from 60 people backstage and 27 dancers on the stage. The dance company blends traditional Anatolian folk dances, which differ from region to region, and new age technology. The Deaf Dance Academy has also stood out in their international performances.