Oluyinka Akinjiola & Donna Mation
Curators
Donna Mation
Donna Mation, performance artist, choreographer, and educator, is the artistic director and choreographer for Axé Didé Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Music and Dance Co. Bang Bang Boogie, and co-director Up Jump and New Lineage. DonnaMation specializes in the styles of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Popping, Huslte, and House dance. She has performed and taught in various places around the world.
Donna has danced most of her life and began her career as a performer and professor of dance in 1999. Donna is well versed in a plethora of styles including, street dances such as Popping, Rumba, House, Hip Hop, and Brazilian Samba, as well as traditional dances from Cuba and Brazil the meaningful and deeply rooted movements of the Orisha/Orixa.
As the artistic director of Axé Didé, Donna masterfully combines rhythms and dances mainly from Cuba and Brazil, but also from the diverse lineages of the African Diaspora.
Donna’s love of street dance styles from the U.S. has led her to a creative process combining the rich culture of hip hop with the intricate movements of Afro-Cuban dance: Afro-Cuban Hip Hop. In Portland, she has developed a university-level course that investigates the connection and lineage from Cuban Rumba through salsa, hip-hop and house dance. When she is not on the road teaching or performing, Donna offers classes at her studio, Center Space, in Portland OR and credited courses at Reed College and Portland Community College. She has also taught credited courses at Portland State University.
As a teacher, Donna is known for her enthusiasm, passion, and respect for the origins of the many styles of dances she shares. Her classes are a workout and challenge people with all levels of experience. As an artist, she inspires and supports her students to further embody the movement, not just imitate form.
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Since 1999 Donna has performed in an array of groups as a dancer, director, and percussionist including Jujuba, The Lions of Batucada, New Lineage, Pink Martini and Black Angel.
Donna studied at the Univeristy of Matanzas Cuba with Grupo Afro-Cuba and Los Muñequitos de Matansas after being introduced to Cuban Folklore by Teresita Domé Perez in 1997, who later became one of Donna’s mentors. Donna later studied extensively with Juan de Dios, director of Raices Profundas of Havana Cuba. Donna has also done intensive studies in Afro-Brazilian dance in Brazil with Rosangela Silvestre and Jorge Alabé.
Donna performed as a principal dancer with Juan de Dios, director of Raices Profundas, and Miguel Bernal, former lead percussionist of Raises Profundas, in their USA based group Omo Ire 2002-2003. She has also had the great opportunity to perform with Jorge Alebé, master drummer and dancer from Rio De Janeiro in several shows and worked as a performer and the choreographer in a show with the world renowned creators of Bata Ketu during a show in Portland OR,Michael Spiro and Mark Lampson.
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As a hired choreographer Donna has created works for Michelle Wylan, Luciano Prono, VamoLa,SambaOlywa, and Todo Beleza.
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Oluyinka A. Akinjiola
Oluyinka A. Akinjiola received her Master of Fine Arts degree in dance from SUNY the College at Brockport with an emphasis in choreography and performance. Oluyinka creates a unique blend between dances of Africa, the African Diaspora and Modern dance. She finds a dialogue between the Bartinieff fundamentals, Afro-Cuban folklore, release technique, Afro-Brazilian folklore, Evans/Laban movement, samba, Garth Fagan technique, and West African dance.
Before graduate studies, Oluyinka focused her research in the geography of dance and cultural migrations. Dance was the catalyst for international studies in Nigeria, Cuba and Brazil. In addition to following her own cultural roots, Oluyinka focused on the Yoruba Diaspora from southwestern Nigeria to Bahia, Brazil and western Cuba. While traveling through out the United States and abroad, Oluyinka trained professionally with Nildinha Fonseca of Bale Folclorico da Bahia, Rosangela Silvestre and Vera Passos, Vania Oliveira of Ile Aiye, Dolores Perez of Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas, Donna Oefinger of Axe Dide, and at the Garth Fagan School.
She has performed and toured with Mounafanyi, Pan-African ensemble (Rochester, NY), Axé Didé, Afro-Cuban-Afro-Brazilian dance company (Portland, OR), Sambamore world drum and dance ensemble(Arcata, CA), and Guinea Gbe all-female African drum & dance ensemble (Arcata, CA). Oluyinka has performed works by Zelma Badu-Young, Yesutor Kotoka, Clyde Morgan, Karl Rogers, Maija Garcia, and Susana Arenas.
While living in Portland, Oregon, Oluyinka worked as a community organizer and project coordinator for immigrant and refugee social justice non-for-profit organizations, including the Center for Intercultural Organizing and African Woman's coalition. Through her experience in community organizing, Oluyinka decided to focus her teaching and choreography as a means to make community and build intercultural solidarity.
While pursing graduate studies at Brockport, Oluyinka received a Graduate Teaching Assistantship and the Graduate Diversity Fellowship to contribute to the diversity of the campus. Oluyinka has been a consistent guest artist for the Sankofa African drum &
dance concert at the College at Brockport, and her research of the Yoruba Diaspora came to life in choreography featured at the International Association of Blacks in Dance conference (Washington D.C.), DanceStrasser (Brockport, NY), Carnaval 2014 (Salvador, BA, Brazil),The College at Brockport Diversity Conference and International Festival. The College at Brockport also funded Oluyinka's continued research in Matanzas, Cuba and Salvador Brazil with travel grants, Monseratt award in dance, Distinguished Professor's award and Graduate Professional development grant. Her research has been presented at conferences at UC Riverside,(Riverside, CA) St. John Fisher's College(Rochester, NY), York University (Toronto, ON),Fundacao Cultural do Estado da Bahia (Salvador, BA), and the College at Brockport(Brockport, NY).She has recently returned from a 3 month stay in the State of Bahia, Brazil researching and performing Afro-Brazilian dances ranging from Silvestre Technique to Carnaval dances of Blocos Afros.
Currently Oluyinka is the Artistic Director and choreographer for Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater in Portland, Oregon and teaching for the Right Brain Initiative, and Young Audiences.
Brought to you by the directors of Rejoice! Diaspora dance theater, Bang Bang Boogie & Axé Didé
at Center Space Studio 420 SE 6th ave Portland OR
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application for "Resistance"
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Application due date March 31st
Auditions April 1st
If our link to the application doesn't download properly on your device, please email us the following information
Name:
Phone Number:
E-mail:
Bio(300 words or less):
Description of Choreographic Project (500 words or less):
Choreographers are provided with:
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$150 Artist Stipend
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6 hours of rehearsal time at Center Space | 420 SE 6th Ave, Portland, OR
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Feedback Showing for choreographic development
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2 evenings of curated performances at Center Space
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Professional Video and photos of finished choreographic works
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“April 1st Movers & Makers Meet & Greet – dancers are you looking for more choreographers to work with? Dance makers are you looking for more dancers to have in your choreography? This is your chance. Join us at Center Space for a gathering of movers and makers.”**
5:30-6pm: Warm up with choreographers and dancers, Donna and Oluyinka will lead a brief warm-up to get everyone moving
6pm: Choreography Preview/Informal Audition begins, curators will offer brief feedback
We know who you are on paper, now we want to meet the creators and see how this platform can meet the needs of your work and the community.
April 2nd: Four Choreographers will be selected and contacted by e-mail
Feedback Showings: Peer feedback sessions are a supportive environment that can inform the development of the choreographic process. Feedback provides the perspective of “how will an audience perceive this work,” “am I communicating what I intended in my choreography,” and “are choreographic choices effective.” Donna and I, Oluyinka, will lead the feedback sessions. Choreographers are encouraged to invite guests to see their works. Curators are also available to provide help anytime along the way.
Rehearsal Time: 6 hours is the provided time at Center Space. Additional time can be purchased at an affordable rate for rehearsals. Depending on the stage of your choreography, additional time will be needed. While the 6-hour time allotment is short, the stipend can be used to purchase rehearsal additional time at Center Space, an alternate location, purchase costumes or any other needs. The stipend allows flexibility.
Performance: June 3rd -4th are the proposed dates. These may change to June 10th &11th based on the desires of the choreographers and availability of Center Space. Center Space has been a key figure in the dance community supporting artists of all backgrounds. Performances and events are regularly sold out and fully attended. Encourage family and friends to purchase tickets for the performance in advance.