Biography

Selected Works: Compositions, Recordings, Publications, etc.

Schedule and Professional Activities

Contact

 

Biography

Zelma Badu-Younge, one of the most charismatic cultural fusion artists, captivates her audience as she steps on stage. This mesmerizing performer is considered one of the most electrifying choreographers; with her high-energy synthesis of West African traditions combined with other world dance forms. Both a dance artist and dance scholar, Badu-Younge, Associate Professor of Dance at Ohio University, is a recent recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Individual Creativity Excellence Award grant for choreography (2008) and the 2009 NAACP Image Award for Excellence in Faculty Academics and Research. Other awards include: a Laidlaw Foundation Award, the Canada Council Arts Grant "B” Award, a Chalmers Award for choreography, the Canadian Year of Asia Pacific (CYAP) grant and a nomination for Outstanding Choreography by the Dora Mavor Moore Awards. 
 
Educated in Canada, she holds a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance and Choreography (Concordia University), M.F.A. in Dance Ethnology (York University), and a Ph.D. (with honors) in Integrated Studies in Education (McGill University.) Both her M.F.A. and Ph.D. research took her to West Africa, where she studied the Music and Dances of Ghana. Zelma Badu-Younge has received some the finest training in Canada, the United States, and Ghana including: l’Académiedes Grands Ballets Canadiens, The Ailey School, and University of Ghana’s School of Performing Arts. She danced with Philadanco (Philadelphia, PA), and the Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company (New York); and has shared the stage and or was presented along with many national and international dance artists and groups including: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Garth Fagan Dance, Assane Konte of Kankouran West African Dance Company, Helen Mensah of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, Margie Gillis, and I Ketut Rina (Indonesian). 
 
She has also performed with national and international performing artists and groups such as: Rio samba (Germany), The State Dance Ensemble (Sri Lanka), Nanta – “Cookin” (South Korea), Olodum (Brazil), De Jimbe (Afro-Irish Group - Ireland) Groupe "DJEMBE RYTHM" (Senegal), PACE (Denmark), Barenaked Ladies (Canada), Rufus Bonds Jr. (of The Color Purple - Broadway), Halim El-dabh (composer for Martha Graham), Bob Becker of Nexus (Canada), Ju Percussion (Taiwan), Percussion Ensemble Chung Ang (South Korea), Cie Cameleon (France), Abbos Group (Uzbekistan),Satriya Budaya (Indonesia), Akin Euba (USA), Choi Jong Sil (South Korea),Thomas Lang (USA), Tomohiro Yahiro (Japan), Dudu Tucci (Germany/Brazil), Tony Royster Jr. (USA), and others from Sweden, Italy, Cuba, Costa Rica, Spain, Argentina, Portugal, South Africa, Poland, Slovenia, Uruguay, and China. 
 
Zelma has instructed, lectured, performed, given workshops or choreographed throughout the United States, Canada, as well as in Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Italy, Germany, and Ghana. She recently served as Canadian Heritage’s Artistic Assessor for The National Arts Training Contribution Program, a Specialist for Jury, for the Canada Council for the Arts; is a member of the Ohio Dance Board of Trustees (chairperson for Outreach and Education) and is a member of the Committee for the Arts and Innovative Thinking (CAIT.) Badu-Younge is also Dance Director and Choreographer for, Azaguno, a multi-ethnic ensemble that focuses on research, preservation and performance of African, African American, Caribbean and Latin American Music and Dance Styles. 
 
Recent activities include directing an African Performing and Visual Arts Conference for Performers, Visual Artists, Educators, Teachers and Scholars (2007 & 2009) held at Ohio University. This conference drew world-renowned keynote speakers and special guests from, Princeton University, Yale University, Swarthmore College, Lesley University, Temple University, and The Ghana Institute for Music and Development; as well as other scholars from 18 different American states, three Canadian provinces, and from France, England, South Africa, Nigeria, and Benin. She was an invited guest speaker, on African Dance, at the Third International Symposium on the Music of Africa (Spring 2009) at Princeton University; choreographed a work for Ballet Creole (Spring 2009); directed Moving Bodies International Dance Film Festival (Spring 2009) featuring guest speaker/filmmaker Philip Szporer; coordinated the Ohio Dance Festival (Spring 2009), as well as produced and presented an evening of European and African Contemporary Dance with invited guests, Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble from Basel, Switzerland and her own group, Azaguno (Fall 2009). Zelma has been commissioned to choreograph a work for the National Dance Company of Ghana (2010) to be premiered at Ghana’s National Theatre. 
 
Perspectives Magazine article - Muses of Movement 
http://www.ohio.edu/research/communications/upload/Muses_of_movement.pdf

Selected Works: Choreographies and Publications

2009
Cooee

A call used to find someone lost in the bush in Australia
Cooee is an exploration of certain indigenous movements, ideas and philosophies from both Africa and Australia. The creation is based on the choreographer's research and experiences in both the Volta and Greater Accra regions of Ghana, and the states of New South Wales and Victoria in Australia

2008
* “Serenity Backside!” *World Premier
A fusion of West and South African, Ballet, Modern, Brazilian, Caribbean and Tap dance techniques. Music: original Steel Pan music composed/performed live by Eric Fountain; Original Afro-pop music composed/performed live by Toby Foyeh and Orchestra Africa. Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium, April 26

2007
* “From Deep Within” Group Piece, African-Contemporary Dance form, MTSU Dance Theatre, Choreographed – October 2007. An Evening of Dance, MTSU Tucker Theatre, Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN, USA, premiered: November 2007, 2nd performance, January 2008

* “Africa Meets Asia” World Premier
Dance collaboration with Yuju Wei, music composed by Dr. Paschal Yao Younge. Asian dance movement, Chinese classical and folk dance forms derived from Chinese opera, martial arts and temple dances; African movements from Ghanaian - Ewe Gadzo and Adzogbo dance ceremonies with Mande Dance styles from Guinea and Senegal. Live performance of a multiple percussion piece for Chinese, Korean, Japanese and African (Ghanaian) percussion instruments, utilizing ideas and elements from Chinese court and temple music, Japanese Taiko drumming, Korean Samulnori Ghanaian - Ashanti Fontomfrom and Ewe Adzogbo dance drumming, Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Aud., premiered: April 20, 2007

* “Alangey” Co-choreograph with Habib Iddrisu and Paschal Yao Younge. Based on the social music and dance of the Nanumba community of Northern Ghana “Alangey”. Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium, premiered: April 20, 2007

* “Gede Nibo” Contemporary Caribbean, Duet with Associate Professor of Dance, Travis Gatling. Collaboration with Ohio University Singers Director: Peter Jarjisian. Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium (premiered: April 20, 2007

* “Kothbiro” (It’s going to rain) Contemporary solo work/video projection project. Dancer Yuju Wei. Elizabeth Baker Theater, Kantner Hall, Athens, Ohio, USA (premiered: March 1-3, 2007)

2006
* “Crash”
Group Work, Contemporary Dance form. MTSU Dance Theatre, Choreographed - November 2006. An Evening of Dance, MTSU Tucker Theatre. Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN, USA (premiered: April 2007)

* “7 Hills” Collaboration - Joanna De Souza, Canadian National Award recipient, Kathak (Classical Indian) & Ghanaian – Ashanti Adowa dance ceremonies with other ideas from Mande Dance styles from Guinea and Senegal. Original music composed by Ian De Souza. Shirley Wimmer Theatre, Athens, OH (premiered: May 24-26, 2006)

* Re-worked “RhythmKeepers” a blend of W. African, Tap & Irish dance. Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium. Ohio University. (May 12, 2006) & Princeton University’s 2nd Annual International Symposium on the Music of Africa, Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. (Dec. 9, 2006)

* “Mahogany Blue” a chore poem. Poetry, live video fed images, original music and live African drumming. Performers: Sophia Daley (vocals), Agya Boakye Boaten (African Drumming) and videography by Julie Cruse. Elizabeth Baker Theater, Kantner Hall, Athens, OH (premiered: March 2- 4, 2006)

2005
* Re-worked: “Marie-Joseph Angelique” from solo to group work (seven performers). Original recorded music by: Daniel Janke. Live percussion by: Dr. Paschal Yao Younge. Set Design by: Maura Gahan. Piscine Theatre, Montreal, QU Canada (November 12, 2005)

* “Metrova” African Contemporary Dance form. MTSU Dance Theatre, An Evening of Dance, MTSU Tucker Theatre. Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN (April 21-23, 2005)

* “Guaguanco” Cuban dance form choreographed for Creole Africaine Dance and Music Concert. Ohio University, Elizabeth Baker Theater, Kantner Hall, Athens, OH (April 2, 3, 2005)

2000
* “RhythmKeepers”
- African-Tap dance fusion, Collaboration with Tap Dancer, Julie Maynard, Atlanta, GA

1998
* “Mata-Metrova”
Classical Ghanaian and Classical Indian (Odissi) dance Collaboration – Niharika Mohanty, Toronto, ON and Montreal, QU Canada

1997
* “Introspection into the Unknown”
Creation based on Ewe (Ghanaian) and Haitian Vodu Rituals (dance and computer technology) Toronto, ON Canada February 1997

* “Hamba Ekhaya” (Goin' Home), Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir – Concert, Director-Trevor Payne, creation based on South African Dance, Montreal, QU Canada December 1997

1996
*“Yaa Asantewa”
– Based on the Asante wars and life of “Yaa Asantewa,” the Queen Mother of Ejisu, Toronto, ON Canada, January 1996

1995
*“MudCreature”
- Dancing on the Edge Festival, Fire Hall Art Centre. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (April 1995).

1994
*“Marie-Joseph Angélique”
based on the story of Marie-Joseph Angélique, a Portuguese-born slave owned by bourgeois French Canadians, allegedly hanged for burning down a city in New France (Montréal) Angélique was eventually hung, her body burnt and the ashes “cast to the four corners of the earth,” Toronto, ON Canada, September 1994

* “Creole Africaine” a Pan-African/African dance and music, Toronto, ON Canada, September 1994

* “Mia Woezo” A contemporary dance work based on Ewe (Ghanaian) and Mande (Senegalese/Guinean) movement, Toronto, ON Canada, April 1994

1993
* “Jubilation V, Joy to the World”
Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir – Concert, Director-Trevor Payne, creation based on Ghanaian Dance, Toronto, ON/Montreal, QU Canada, December 1993

* “Torgbewo Metrova” African Contemporary Work, commission by DanceWorks 81, Toronto, ON Canada, November 1993

* “Va Mi Dzo” – African Contemporary Work, World of Music, Art and Dance (WOMAD) Festival, Toronto, ON Canada, August 1992

1992
* “Rhythmic Cycles”
Contemporary Ghanaian/ Kathak collaboration with Deepti Gupta (original music by: Rodrigo Chavez) for “fFIDA” Festival, Toronto, ON Canada, August 1992

1996
The Rhythm Within”
– African Contemporary Dance, Toronto, ON Canada, December 1990

Choreography/Arrangement of Traditional African Dances
2008
“ Kundum”
Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Atsiagbekor” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Boboobo” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Sanga” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Gahu” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Gota” Ghanaian Dance (Group
Ohio University African Ensemble, Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium, Athens, OH (performance date: April 26, 2008)

2007
“ Adowa”
Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Fume Fume” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Kassa” Guinea Dance (Group)
Ohio University African Ensemble, Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium, Athens, OH (performance date: April 20, 2007)

2005
“ RhythmKeepers”
Ghanaian, Irish, American Dance (Group)
“ Sanga” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Boboobo” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Adzogbo” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“ Yeve” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
Azaguno, International Symposium on the Music of Africa. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA (performance date: October 10, 2005)

2004
“ Kpatsa”
Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“Sanga” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“Kpanlongo” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
“Bamaaya” Ghanaian Dance (Group)
Ohio University African Ensemble, Elizabeth Baker Theater, Athens,
OH (performance date: April 3 - 4, 2004)

2003
“Bata” Nigerian dance (group)
“ Atsiagbekor” Ghanaian War dance (group)
“ Isukuti” Kenyan dance (group)
“ Bamaaya” Ghanaian dance (group)
“ Jera” Ghanaian dance (group)
“ Creole Africaine” An Original Contemporary (7 dancers)
Work combining, West African, South African and North American Step Dance. Arranged for Azaguno.
“ Mbende” A dance (group) from Zimbabwe
International Symposium on the Music of Africa, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA (October 10, 2003).
“ Malivata” A dance (group) from Tanzania co-arranged with
Dr. Paschal Younge
“ Gahu” A dance (group) from Ghana co-arranged with
Dr. Paschal Younge
“ Kpatsa” A dance (group) from Ghana co-arranged with
Dr. Paschal Younge
“ Bamaaya” A dance (group) from Ghana
“ Sanga” A dance (group) from Ghana
“ Creole Africaine: Celebrating the Many Cultures of Africa.” Con., Denison University (Denison African Repertory
Class), Granville, OH (February 28- March 1, 2003)

2002
“Kpanlongo”
A dance (group) from Ghana
Gota” A dance (group) from Ghana
“ Atsiagbekor” A dance (group) from Ghana
“ Bamaaya” A dance (group) from Ghana
“ Jera” A dance (group) from Ghana
“ Sofa/Kassa ” A dance (group) from Guinea
“ Aza, A Celebration of African Dancing, Drumming & Singing.” Concert (Denison African Repertory Class) Denison University, Granville, OH (November 15- 16, 2002)

Recordings:
2006 * Ohio University, Heritage Concert DVD
2004 * Azaguno Taiwan Tour DVD

Schedule and Professional Activities
2010
Performance with Azaguno at ISME at the 29TH World Conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME 2008), Beijing, China, August 1-6


Associate Director: Ohio University's 5th Summer International Program in African Culture Through the Arts Music in Ghana, June 14--July 6

Associate Director Directing Acyfest International Arts Festival at Dzodze, Ghana June 26-27

Performance with OUAE, Red Cross Dancing with the Stars Even, Athens, OH

Co-Director/Performance at AZA!! Concert, Ohio University, Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Auditorium, Athens, OH April 30

Co-Director/Performance with Azaguno, Africa Network Event, Denison University, Granville, OH

Performance and Workshop with Azaguno, Anderson University, SC, January 30

Performance with Ohio University African Ensemble at OMEA Conference, Cincinnati, January 28

2009
Assistant Director and Lecturer at the Ohio University's 4th Summer International Program in African Culture Through the Arts Music in Ghana, June 14--July 6

Presentation at AZA! 2009 Ohio University's 4th Summer International Program, Traditional Arts Festival, Anlo Afiadenyigba, Ghana, June 26-29 – Artistic Director

Mother Africa, a symposium on Women in Africa’s Arts, with talks by prominent scholars and artists who focus on gender issues, Baker University Center, Athens, OH. Co-Director, African Dance Workshop and guest speaker (replacement for Kariamu Welsh.) April 30- May 2

Co-Director: AZA!! Mother Africa Concer, Ohio University, Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Auditorium, Athens, OH May 1

"Through the Eyes of An African Dancer: Intellectualizing the body’s Movement to Music." Third International Symposium on the Music of Africa: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ -- Guest Speaker, April 17-18, Ohio Dance Festival -- Site Coordinator, Ohio University, School of Dance, Athens, OH, April 4

Moving Images International Dance Film Festival, Artistic Director
Athena Cinema and Shirley Wimmer Dance Theatre, Athens, OH, April 3

2008
“ Developing African derived music and dance for the classroom.” Educational Workshop, African Music and Dance, at World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education “Respecting Traditions: Shaping the Future” To be held on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation, December 7-11, Melbourne, Australia

Visiting Scholar in Residency on an exchange program as part of the project CULTURAL MOSAIC: DIVERSITY IN DANCE -- Kala Bharati, Bharata Natya Centre Montreal, Canada. Invited by Dr. Mamata Niyogi-Nakra, October 23 – 28

Master Classes: Dance Forms of the African Diaspora
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, October 17

Co- Director: Mother Africa, African Arts Symposium. Ohio University, Athens, OH, May 2

Master Classes African Dance, Ohio Dance Festival: Dance Matters: Moving Images, April 4

Master Classes: Neal Marshall Black Cultural Center (Indiana University), March 23

Master Classes: African Dance, South Charleston High School, March 4

Contact

WORK
Ohio University
School of Dance
Putnam Hall 222
Athens, OH, 45701
Tel. 740 593 1826

E-mail: or baduyou@ohio.edu

 

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