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A collective vision..... to create work of integrity. To capture the essence of who we are, through storytelling. It is my hope, to inspire, ignite and set on fire, the souls that have been sleeping or hiding for so many years. It is our time, to tell these stories, as fully and completely as we can - to share with this generation and the next, and the next. As - we are the sum total of our ancestors. Many stories untold, many stories.
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As a Playwright…..
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- Member of Givesn Foundation Program Committee: Program Developer of Givens Black Writers Collaborative Retreat.
Click on link for more details
- Playwrights' Center Rountable Reading Series: Sal-vay's Justabee.
- Work published in Playwrights' Center Monologues for Women 2005 (Heinemann Publishing)
- MaMa mOsAic's Mini Femme Fest Drama Skool Reading Series:Panther's Pantry
- Written Articles to be published in International Woman Playwrights' Newsletter - Fall, 2004.
- Newest member of MaMa mOsiaC Theater, the only professional women of color theater group in Minnesota.
- Coordinated MaMa mOsaic's Women and War event (2006)
- Performed original Play Sal-vay (c) in 2005. Restructured piece and performed it in Black Choreographers Evening 2005.
- Playwrights' Center 2003-2004 Many Voices Grant Recipient. Also part of Minneapolis, MoSiac.
- Playwrights' Center Pizza Lucci's Roundtable reading of original work: Justabee's Sal-vay (2006).
- Performed work in 2003 MN Fringe Festival.
- Public readings of work such as Panther's Pantry, Hitler's Mandela - at the Playwright Center.
- Showcase - 10 minute works from MV 2004 at the Playwrights Center.
- Laurie Carlos, Late Night Series at Pillsbury House: Reading of work written by Djola Branner (October, 2006)
- Other Venues include Artists Quarters, The Loft.
Performed and original work written - Justabeee(c), Salv-vay at Patrick's Cabaret.
- Work performed at Late Night (Balls) Sourthern Theater - Minneapolis.
- Black Writers Retreat, NY 2001.
Written Articles to be published in International Woman Playwrights' Newsletter - Fall, 2004.
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As a Dancer, Choreographer, Performing Artist...
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- Studied traditional West African Dance from Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana and the Carribean for 15 years under various mentors in the Southeast region such as Toni Young, Paulette Counsins (Transitioned), Djola Branner, Torqwase (of Muntu Dance) to name a few.
Choreography and Performances
- Upcoming: Choreographer for Steppingstone Theatre's 'Almost to Freedom'
- Recipient of Momentum New Dance Works 2008 in collaboration with Maia Maiden: A co-commission funded by the Jerome Foundation; between The Walker Arts Center and The Southern Theater.
Look for new works July 2008
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- Steppingstone Theatre's A Lion's Tale - Somali Folktales
- BlackArtsFusion 2007
- An Interview with Paul Robeson (Play written by Paul Mabon)
- 2006 and 2007 Kwaanza event at Pantage Theater (We Win Institute)
- Hip-Hop Artist and Son SELFISH who opened for Ludacris (Sharpalooza Aids Benefit)
- Festival of Nations
- Flint Children's International Festival (Ordway)
- MaMa mOsiaC's Play - Bride/Price (Mixed Blood Theater). Adding movement/dance to text.
- Presented work at the Minneapolis 2005 Black Choreographers' evening.
- Original dance/theater works Sal-vay, incorporating traditional West African and Afro-cuban to propel the story forward.
Performances Include - Performer in Choreographers' Evening at the Walker - 2007.
<- Performer in Evolution of a Soul Sista, a dance theater work developed by choreographer Roxane Wallace.
- Performer with Spirit of Ashe' in T-Michael Rambos Aids benefit fundraiser.
- Independent Artist performing with various Twin Cities Dance groups. Venues include the Southern Theater, Penumbra, Festival of Nations, Minnesota Convention Center, to name a few.
- Movement workshop Pillsbury House, Breaking Ice program.
- A Founding member of Uhuru Dance - Atlanta. performed throughout the Southeast.
- African Dance instructor for community centers and after school programs from K-12.
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In Summary....".. always been drawn to the spirit of the drums: its rhythm, its flight, its many stories. Ellena Antoinette Schoop a.k.a. Ellena Antoinette studied and performed Senegalese dances from Mali, Senegal and the Ivory Coast.
Ellena has been dancing since 1987. She also studies tap and jazz. For Ellena, "Tap is music on my feet."
As a child, Ellena traveled abroad to Europe, Africa, Spain, Greece—becoming aware of other cultures. Ellena is also a poet and playwright and wants to bring her passions of dance and playwriting together on stage - wants the words to dance off the page as she's danced on the stage.... "
An exerpt from one of her poems.
If flesh could dissipate
and gravity elevate -
I'd dance through Jupiter across the night,
till all you'd see is a flash of light…
I Dance.
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