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ADIA TAMAR WHITAKER, artistic director of Ase Dance Theatre Collective, graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Dance. Ms. Whitaker is a former member of Group Petit La Croix and has performed Afro-Haitian dance in the U.S. and abroad for 13 years. She has been teaching master classes and workshops in Afro-Haitian Dance since 2006. Adia completed the Professional Division U.S. Independent Studies Program at the Ailey School (2001), was Choreoquest Resident Artist @ Restoration Dance Theater (2004), 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 was also 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. In 2008, Adia performed in the premier of "Beauty the Beast"(S.F.) written by Delina Patrice Brooks.

Adia has received grants from the Jerome Foundation (2008), The Puffin Foundation (2008), the Hip Hop Theater Festival (2008) and Brooklyn Arts Council (2007). Most recently, she received a Theater Bay Area CA$H Grant to present her work in the counterPULSE Performing Diaspora Festival (S.F. 2009).

Her work has been featured (Off-Broadway) in Oberon’s Macbeth (2008), the International Dance Festival (2002) and several other national and international dance festivals. These include Dance and the Child International (Kingston, JA 2009),First Saturday's at the Brooklyn Museum of Art (2008), City Parks Foundation Summerstage at Von King Park (2008), The African Caribbean Concert at FAMU and TCC, (Tallahassee, FLA 2008), The Living Word Festival at Dance Mission (San Francisco, CA 2007), Summer of Love at The Whitney (NYC 2007), V-Day at the BMA (NYC 2007),Spring Dance Festival @ Stadsschouwburg (Utrecht, Holland 2007) & Lantern Venster (Rotterdam, Holland 2007), Festival De Liege (Liege, Belgium 2007), Festival De Les Pyrenees (France, Spain, & Germany 2002), E-Moves at Aaron Davis Hall and Harlem Stage (NYC 2006, 2009),The Museum of Natural History (NYC 2006)and the IABD Dance Conference at Symphony Space (NYC 2006).

Adia has also been presented by the Caribbean Cultural Center(NYC 2007, 2009), Arts Connection (2006 & 2007, 2008, 2009), Thelma Hill Performing Arts (2002, 2005, 2008), Dancing in the Streets (2002-2007), NYC Hip Hop Theater Festival (2005-2007), Community Works (2005-2008), The Kitchen (2004) and the Schomburg Center (2003-2005). Ms. Whitaker’s full-length work includes;

Shugaculuwata (2004) A 90-minute multi-media dance theater piece that discovers the mirror between Hip Hop Culture and Vodou.

The Truth About Medusa (2008) A 90-minute multi-media dance theater piece that investigates the African origin and mythology of Medusa.

NEW YEAR'S 2007 PERFORMANCE W/ ZAP MAMA the QUEEN! Changed my life.