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 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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