Guest Artists
2007-2008
2006-2007
2005-2006
2004-2005
2003-2004
2002-2003
2001-2002
2000-2001
Guest Artists 2006-2007
Nora Chipaumire
Nora Chipaumire is a remarkable solo dance artist who investigates the collaborative process within cultural, political, economic, and technological identities of African contemporary life. Nora was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe during the chim urenga chechipiri, or second war of liberation. A self-exiled artist now based in New York, she has been a featured dancer with the world renowned Urban Bush Women for three years. A powerful and inspiring performer and teacher, Nora has been described as "a defiant boxer staring down an unseen enemy" (Claudia La Rocco, Associated Press). Her work is transitional, unafraid and eager to burn cultural, creative, and geographic boundries. She creates provocative and politically relevant multimedia dance work, illuminating what it means to be African/woman/black/human in an increasingly borderless world. Her work is inspired by art from her native country such as shona sculpture and chimurenga music - art that results from the often violent convergence of rural, urban, African, non - African, cultural, economic, colonial and technological ideas. With a singular and unassailable voice speaking to her experiences as a woman from the African Dispora, she is contributing to and furthering the new African contemporary dance movement emerging across the nation.
Robert Moses
Choreographer Robert Moses founded Robert Moses' Kin in 1995 and since then has created numerous works of varying styles and genres for his highly praised dance company. Robert Moses creates dances that speak to our times: His work is a powerful combination of athletic technique, rhythmic complexity, a fusion of different dance styles, and gestural detail. He explores topics ranging from oral history in African American culture to the life and work of author James Baldwin, the isolation found in new love to the dark side of contemporary urban culture, and the simple joyous expressions of pure movement.
Moses and his company have been honored with many prestigious grants and awards, among these are two Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, the Bonnie Bird North American Choreography Award, a San Francisco Bay Guardian "Goldie" and the SF Weekly "Black Box" Award. Moses has held residencies at ODC Theater and in the San Francisco public schools as part of the San Francisco Arts in Education Foundation Artist-in-Residence Program, and was a Duke/Wattis Artist-in-Residence at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. He has performed with his company at many nationally esteemed venues such as Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Colorado Dance Festival, and the Bates Dance Festival. He has created commissioned works for Oakland Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Lawrence Pech Dance Company, Robert Henry Johnson Dance Company, Savage Jazz Dance Company and England's Transitions Dance Company of the Laban Centre. His work has been performed nationally and internationally, including England, Italy and Ireland.
Moses' film and theater credits include major productions for the Lorraine Hansberry Theater, New Conservatory Theater, Los Angeles Prime Moves Festival (L.A.C.E.), Olympic Arts Festival, and Black Choreographers Moving Toward the 21st Century. Mr. Moses has collaborated with many notable artists, among them are Julia Adam, Margaret Jenkins, Alonzo King, Sara Shelton Mann, SoVoSo, Marcus Shelby, Keith Terry, Frank Boehm and Will Power.
A much sought-after teacher, Moses has been a lecturer at Stanford University since 1995 and teaches ongoing technique classes at San Francisco Dance Center. He has been a master teacher or guest faculty at the Bates Dance Festival, Colorado Dance Festival, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, University of Texas, University of Nevada, Mills College, San Jose State University, Saint Mary's College, California Dance Educators Association, American College Dance Festival, and San Francisco Dance Center.
Prior to establishing Robert Moses' Kin, Moses has danced in Twyla Tharp Dance, ODC/San Francisco, Long Beach Ballet, Walt Disney World Productions, and Gloria Newman Dance Theater, among others.