D UNDERBELLY

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Curator of D UNDERBELLY, award-winning Interdisciplinary Artist Baraka de Soleil currently resides in Brooklyn, NY; having been involved in the experimental movement, music and performance art scene, throughout the country and internationally, for the past 15 years. 

At the center of his career is the collaboration on and creation  of experimental works for the theatre, dance and alternative spaces; receiving acknowledgements including: 

• McKnight Choreography Fellowship (MN)

• Walker Art Center commissions

• Red Eye Collaborations (MN)

• Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center

• AUDELCO nomination for Obatala: King of the White Cloth

Baraka has served as a Teaching Artist for:

• Brooklyn Academy of Music
• Arts Connection
• Phyllis Rose Dance Company
• African American Academy for Accelerated Learning 
• Various institutions throughout the country

As Teaching Artist, Baraka de Soleil has taught classes in Africanist culture, performance and movement methodologies to various ages. His contemporary technique, Afro-Modern combines traditions from the African Diaspora with post-modern aesthetics to create an energetic and exciting kinesthetic environment. 

Baraka has also served as a Consultant to independent artists and arts organizations and Curator including: 

• (MN) Walker Art Center
• Intermedia Arts
• Minnesota Men of Color 

In New York, Baraka de Soleil has performed with: 

• Legendary avant-garde Musical Artist Cooper-Moore
• Marlies Yearby Movin' Spirits Dance Theatre
• Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group

Nationally, Baraka has performed with:

• Pearl Ubungen Dancers and Musicians (CA)
• Shakespeare Theatre (DC) 
• Independent Artists Djola Berrnard Branner and Daniel Alexander Jones (MN)

Internationally, Baraka de Soleil has toured Spain and France with current collaborator - DJ/Multimedia Artist/Composer Daniel Givens at various music festivals including: 

• Musique Volantes
• Toulouse "Jazz sur son 31" Festival
• Periferias
• La Cartonnerie
• Freelance performing in Greece and Senegal

Baraka is presently an artist-in-residence at Brooklyn Arts Exchange and spearheads D UNDERBELLY - which celebrates its tenth year in existence.   

Other upcoming endeavors include the development of:

• EGRESS (summer/fall 07) - a series of kinesthetic and ambient compositions inspired by Jean-paul Sarte's No Exit' at Dixon Place (June 14th - 30th, 07) 
• The multi-media experience Childr'n of "O" (08)
• Researching the historic slave routes in Ghana latter July for the developing project 'Water Moves the Soul' (08-09)

This past fall, for his choreographic work on 'Sango: Lord of Thunder', Baraka de Soleil was awarded the prestigious Katherine Dunham Choreography/AUDELCO for excellence in Black Theatre at the 34th annual Vivian Robinson/ AUDELCO ceremony.
  

(347) 385-0986
  

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email: mail@dunderbelly.com