My superpower is UNITY. I am the Visionary of Black Humboldt, a cultural and community non-profit organization which I Co-founded in 2018 in response to a lack of SAFE Black and Brown spaces. It provides a platform for all Black and Brown bodies who share similar needs and interests while existing in Humboldt County. Following my role as Project Coordinator/Arts Integration Coach during the sunset of the amazing North Coast Arts Integration Project, I was designated as one of Humboldt’s Regional Coaches for Turnaround Arts: California. I currently am elected to serve on California Dance Education Association’s Professional Development Team for year 2021-22. Although arts education and community organizing are time-consuming and necessary parts of our society, I still find time for an artful daily practice and art as my activism. I also teach and workshop, Afrocentric-based movement classes locally in Humboldt County. Previously, I taught as a teaching guest artist and then transitioned into an appointment as faculty for the Theatre, Film, and Dance Department at California State Polytechnic (Cal Poly) Humboldt University. As a Black woman, third culture kid, and first-generation college student in my family, I earned a Master of Science degree in Instructional Design and Technology from Full Sail University, a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from Morgan State University, and a certificate in Physical Theater from Dell’Arte International.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
“Theatre has nothing to do with buildings or other physical constructions. Theatre – or theatricality – is the capacity, this human property which allows man to observe himself in action, in activity. Man can see himself in the act of seeing, in the act of acting, in the act of feeling, the act of thinking. Feel himself feeling, think himself thinking.” – Augusto Boal
When I realized that I was indeed a walking, living, and breathing “theatre”, I began to develop a huge interest in all the other walking “theatre’s” and spent time people watching in New York City (my hometown) or earth watching at the beach in Delaware (my second home). I wanted to share this gift with young people so I created a mime ministry at my home church in Claymont, Delaware and to my surprise they still are observing and shaping their talents as mime artists! I find that continuing this work to observe, and create stories, call for a powerful, brew of inspiration, self-reflection and healing. All of my life experiences and theatrical training have definitely shaped my beliefs in theater.
o I believe that African storytelling, ceremonies and traditions are the foundations of theater.
o I believe theater is for social change and that “community” is a synonym for “theater”.
o I believe that the instructions for a body are simpler than mankind defines.
o I believe that the body is the most powerful tool of theater; it reveals non-verbal communication as the first exchange, the body as plural and the window to ones truth.
o I believe that physical theater is for spiritual healing.
o I believe that devised theater is a more organic way to find truthfulness in the moment.
Dionna Ndlovu 