“Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body” - Martha Graham. Antoine’s talent and passion for dance are setting the perfect example and prove that you don’t need to hear music in order to dance beautifully. He is the founder and artistic director of Urban Jazz Dance. He has been producing the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival since 2013. Antoine loves to wear many hats like dance captain for Expedia.com commercials and was head Choreographer director for a Philippines's Musical "Amerikana-The Musical". He has been featured in Oakland North, CNN's The Great Big story and in many magazines like DeafLife Magazine, Dance Magazine, Dance Studio Life Magazine and more. Antoine is the recipient of several awards including the 2011 National Dance Week Dancer's Choice Award, Margaret Jenkin's CHIME award, the 2009 VRS Award (the international organization on arts and disabilities), and the 2000 Bay Area Star Award.

Which form of creativity best helps you to express your emotions?A: I use all forms of dance from ballet to modern, from African dance to belly dance, but in all cases I love involvement with ASL Which is the new Dance gene ASL dance, think African dance well AMERICAN SIGN DANCE is also cultural dance too. This bridges my communication and expression in dance. I love acting I love being anything man or woman or even a bird. But I feel more connected with Shakespeare's works. I love writing plays as well for Deaf plays.

Which role do you enjoy the most, as a choreographer or as a producer and why?A: Dancer because I can be anything and not just Mr Hunter all day. Choreographer because it allows me to present the truth on earth. I’ve done a lot of music videos or musicals where my job is to make an actor look like a dancer and I love that too. I love creating educational program for kids and adult too. Producer because it allows me to give other people a chance to share their gifts, their power, their culture, their arts and their wisdom and their voices/truth. I'm family man too, I love my family.

What has been your most memorable assignment so far? How do you coordinate with other team members?A: Creating the Bay Area International Deaf Dance festival as it touches so many lives and saved lives- and also keynote speaker, speaking at Kennedy center for VSA. Plus, music video for D-PAN, choreographer for Oakland ballet, and so many more. I would write a book. These are my proudest moment too. I remember dancing for savage jazz dance company in collaboration with composer Marcus Shelby live jazz band. The band was doing what they normally do and I can't then so I just focus on the dance and remember my rhythm. One of the dancers was not there anymore and that was often my cue to jump in and do a solo and furthermore something was off it was almost my turns to dance while the band was still playing for the other dancers. I look at the piano player and he was bobbing his head. I realize the tempo was slower! No one told me! So I did my dance in a slower fashion of the choreography. The choreographer didn't say anything to me but did see the choreographer say "Yeah, he was pull up and he just did his thing.....He can't hear." I guess without him saying it, it meant something.

Which project as a dance director is closest to your heart and why?A: Scream my language: A dance created by me with my company called urban Jazz dance company. 5 dancers on Pointe. Music by John Handy, Bob Marley, Miles Davis, Nina Simon and Prince. I love seeing Deaf dancers on pointe. It was performed at Dance mission theater in SF. The lighting was amazing and there was no back curtain instead it was window and out the window were tress breathing. It was a rare thing to see an African American Deaf Choreographer to create and powerful work about ASL culture and how our soul bleeds to be heard and get heard. Also in that work one of my dance Maim Leah bathe in small plastic tub of marshmallow. No More Trouble by Bob Marley and Erykah Badu for it kind of deep to create that kind of work on a white woman. My hope those who were people not of color sharing how sad and deep that story is learn it my story as black man in America.
Know your root: 9 mins solo- showing American Sign Language plus afro Cuban modern dance together show my roots is my and that I'll never allow it to be forgotten.
Love you song by Whitney Houston I'll always love you for it with the first solo I've made. My classmates were shock and it was the day I learn that dance is a way to communicate with people. They truly understood me that day.
Dawn James my high school dancer wasn't a director but she is the closet to my heart. There no other black woman magic like her! She taught me things beyond dance such as a thing called reality. I was the only guy in class and my grade was bad we who was students was like it ok she will let you perform because you're the only guy here and we need you! Girl, was I wrong! I had to beg my English teach to bring my grade up and to do that I had triple load of homework! Triple load! I never forgot that lesson.

You seem to be involved in many projects and events simultaneously. How do you manage to multitask?A: Prayer! I always pray that things will work out and they do. Also, I do what I call time management! I learn that from St Mary college of California. I just don't sleep a lot, I love dance and everything that had to do with dance, I love teaching, I love helping people that was or is my passion. Then Down from heaven and Angel who's also my dancer be cane my dance assistant Zahna Simon she also help my be on time to everything I need to be at. However, she was my assistant only 2 years and I've been doing this over 15 years!

What challenges did you face during your school days? What or who motivated you to face those challenges?A:  High school I was dealing a lot bullies. It seems I was being bullied but I was every week by hearing and Deaf students in my high school. It was odd when I get upset at them they seemed to tease me more and seemed so enjoyable in their eyes to pull me down to tears. Then without realizing I decided just to smile at them. Whenever I get tease I smile and said "good one". Sometime the bullies had a group and they hang out at lunch time together and after school. As I walk pass them I would say " Oh nice new shoes" or " you look like you should be in a movie with that jacket on", Crazy as it seems they would still make fun of me after I made nice comments.
One day I went to the store after school, one of the bully was at the cashier and seems didn't have enough money. There was a lot of other students there from our school. I had one dollars and 20 cents. He needed 50 cents. I ran behind him really fast and said you drop a dollar, gave him my dollar. He looked at me and bobed his head. Few weeks later, the group of bullies was in the hallway after lunch heading to class saw me started making fun of me about my hair. Immediately the same guy from the store said, "forget him, he's retarded". They all left. The was the shortest encounter ever with them guys. I'm not gonna say what he said was right but I could tell his group was shocked that he stop them from teasing me. (My Jr. years)
My senior years I hadn't seems those bullies as much. I was walking home and he drive pass me offer me a ride I said no thank I one block away. He told his girlfriend that I was a cool guy. Drive off. Being black, Deaf, poor, and seen myself gender neutral but while loving both of he/she energy. I love myself and that help me get through that.

Who is your creative inspiration?A: Divinity, Oakland, my family, T-Monk, Prince, Miles Davis, Zula, urban Jazz dance company, my mother, Bill T Jone, Paul Taylor, Mere Cunningham, Dizzy, and my work is inspired by the truth on earth. We deliver messages that are hidden away from our society. I remember during last year of high school before I went out to perform a dance- I was stare at Alvin Ailey face and I was ready.

What do you like to do when you are with your family/friends?A: Eat! Me and Mom go for a walk, tea or chat in kitchen while she cooks. Me and sister read a book and debate, my other sister plays drum and I dance. I'm a kind of guy who likes to set up something for someone and make it a special day. I remember a good soul who was planning to leave the country for one year. I called her family and friend and had a get together BBQ to say farewell. Zula and I love cooking together, swimming, comic book store, video games, dance and eat sushi m!

What tips/advice do you have for those in our community who want to learn to dance?A: Warm up really good before you dance hard and dance hard. Believe in yourself. There so many kinds of dance out there so go get what you need.

Any special message for our community?A: Honest I like you all. I really like you just the way you are and I hope we learn to take the time to listen to each other spirit.