The People's Palace

Aerial dancers reclaim the halls of power in this breathtaking reimagining of San Francisco’s City Hall.

Built in 1914 in the style of classical European architecture, San Francisco City Hall has long been known as the People’s Palace — though its grand design has never fully reflected the histories, cultures, and aspirations of San Francisco’s people of color and marginalized communities.

In May 2024, Zaccho Dance Theatre staged The People’s Palace, a free performance installation inside the building, sending aerialists soaring beneath its 307-foot rotunda dome, dancers moving through and against its architecture, and large-scale projections mapped directly onto its walls to tell a more inclusive story of San Francisco.

This film, directed by Oakland-based filmmaker Bryan Gibel and Zaccho artistic director Joanna Haigood, immerses viewers in the performance. Intimate shots float inches from the dancers as they move through space, while sweeping panoramics capture the full scale and grandeur of the building itself. The result is a film as unique and breathtaking as the many cultures it was made to honor.

Followed by a live Q&A with Bryan Gibel and Joanna Haigood, moderated by laura elaine ellis.

Directors: Bryan Gibel, Joanna Haigood
Choreographer: Joanna Haigood
(United States, 2024) 31 minutes

Tickets purchased at the door will cost $1 additional per ticket.

6:00p | House Opens

6:30p | Program begins

Runtime: 31 minutes

Venue Accessibility: The entrance to Delancey Street Theater’s screening room is at 600 The Embarcadero. Once you enter the gates, there is an office to your left with a front desk. The person at the front desk will escort you to the elevator to get to the screening room.

About the 2026 San Francisco Dance Film Festival:

The San Francisco Dance Film Festival marks its seventeenth year this fall with over 80 films celebrating dance in all its forms, from world-class ballet to endangered folkloric traditions. Eighteen in-person screenings run October 23 through November 8 at venues across San Francisco, complete with artist Q&As, panels, and community gatherings, followed by an Online Festival from November 9 through 30 featuring short film programs and online-only features. Join SFDFF 2026 for intimate documentaries, dazzling screendance, and thrilling live performance captures that celebrate the ever-evolving intersection of dance and film.

For more info please visit our website.

Contact the host of The People's Palace | 2026 SF Dance Film Festival