Adia Whitaker
Afro-Haitian
Adia Tamar Whitaker, Artistic Director of Ase Dance Theatre Collective, has performed contemporary modern and Afro-Haitian dance in the U.S. and abroad for 16 years. She performed with the San Francisco based Afro-Haitian dance company Group Petit La Croix under the direction of Ms. Blanche Brown for five years (1995 - 2000). She has been teaching Afro-Haitian Dance Workshops and Master Classes for the past seven years. Whitaker completed a BA in Dance from San Francisco State University (2000), the Professional Division U.S. Independent Studies Program at The Ailey School (2001), was a Ford Foundation Special Initiative for Africa Grant Recipient (2004), an Urban Bush Women Apprentice (2005) and a Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography @ FSU Creative Entry Point Choreographic Fellow (2006). She has also received grants from the Brooklyn Arts Council (2007), The Puffin Foundation (2008), the Hip Hop Theater Festival (2008) and the Jerome Foundation (2008).
Adia was a co-choreographer and touring cast member of “Scourge”, a choreopoem written by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, featuring choreography by Rennie Harris and Stacey Printz. Scourge” toured in the U.S. and abroad for two years. Most recently, Adia completed a two year artist residency at counterPULSE, an arts incubation organization in San Francisco (2009/2010). counterPULSE produced the evening length world premiere of Ms. Whitaker's choreopoem "Ampey!" (2010). Whitaker has traveled and studied in Cuba with Los Munequitos de Matanzas, Afro-Cuba de Matanzas, and at the studio of Narciso Medina (1997, 2000). In 1998, she received a grant from San Francisco State University to travel and study in Haiti for one month. While in Haiti, Adia studied with Madame Vivian Gauthier and Ms. Florencia Pierre. Whitaker has performed as a principal dancer with Chouconne Dance Troupe in the Festival De Les Pyrenees (France, Spain, & Germany 2002) and as an ensemble dancer in Nadia Dieudonne's "Heritage". She has traveled to study traditional African dance styles in cultural, contemporary, and performance context in Brazil (2003), Ghana, West Africa (2008), Jamaica (2009) and New Orleans (2010). Adia has taught Master classes at The National Theater of Ghana (West Africa), The Edna Manley School (Kingston, Jamaica), UC Berkeley (Berkeley,CA), New Jersey Performing Arts Center (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) and Zeke Nealy's Haitian Dance and Drum Camp in the bay area (2004, 2007, 2009). She currently teaches Afro-Haitian dance at Mark Morris Dance Center in New York, while developing new work with Ase Dance Theatre Collective.
Adia was a co-choreographer and touring cast member of “Scourge”, a choreopoem written by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, featuring choreography by Rennie Harris and Stacey Printz. Scourge” toured in the U.S. and abroad for two years. Most recently, Adia completed a two year artist residency at counterPULSE, an arts incubation organization in San Francisco (2009/2010). counterPULSE produced the evening length world premiere of Ms. Whitaker's choreopoem "Ampey!" (2010). Whitaker has traveled and studied in Cuba with Los Munequitos de Matanzas, Afro-Cuba de Matanzas, and at the studio of Narciso Medina (1997, 2000). In 1998, she received a grant from San Francisco State University to travel and study in Haiti for one month. While in Haiti, Adia studied with Madame Vivian Gauthier and Ms. Florencia Pierre. Whitaker has performed as a principal dancer with Chouconne Dance Troupe in the Festival De Les Pyrenees (France, Spain, & Germany 2002) and as an ensemble dancer in Nadia Dieudonne's "Heritage". She has traveled to study traditional African dance styles in cultural, contemporary, and performance context in Brazil (2003), Ghana, West Africa (2008), Jamaica (2009) and New Orleans (2010). Adia has taught Master classes at The National Theater of Ghana (West Africa), The Edna Manley School (Kingston, Jamaica), UC Berkeley (Berkeley,CA), New Jersey Performing Arts Center (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) and Zeke Nealy's Haitian Dance and Drum Camp in the bay area (2004, 2007, 2009). She currently teaches Afro-Haitian dance at Mark Morris Dance Center in New York, while developing new work with Ase Dance Theatre Collective.