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Oluyinka (O-Lu-Yink-ah)Is a Portland based artist and educator originally from New York State. After receiving her MFA in Dance Choreography & Performance she founded Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater with the support of New Expressive Works Artist Residency (Subashini Ganesan) and Performance Works NW’s Alembic Co-Production series(Linda Austin). Rejoice was built as a platform to create Black contemporary dance work with movement foundations from Africa and the African-Diaspora. Her choreography focuses on the complex identities, histories and futures of Black communities.
Oluyinka is an Educator and curriculum builder with Portland Public Schools at Harriet Tubman Middle School and Faubion K-8. Prior to PPS, Oluyinka was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at Reed College and SUNY The College at Brockport, a three year guest artist for the Sankofa African Drum & Dance Ensemble; her work was featured in the International Association of Blacks in Dance conference (Washington D.C. and Los Angeles), Carnaval 2014 (Salvador, BA, Brazil), TEDxMtHood, and Newmark Theater among others. Most recently, Oluyinka received the Oregon Dance Education Organization’s teacher of the year award in 2020. |
Portland Tribune: One dancer's art of expression
Excerpt
“Dance is an embodied way of communicating,” she said. “Sometimes, I feel like I don’t really have a choice. It’s the path I chose, and I can’t really separate myself from dance anymore.”
Whether she’s performing on a minuscule stage or a grand one, Akinjiola’s messages are ever-present and unwavering. Through her voice and her body, she communicates with the audience and creates a connection that is specific to her medium, a connection that embodies her own self as much as the dance’s shared stories.
“I hope that it’s memorable,” Akinjiola said of her performance, taking a long pause before finishing her though, “that some new seed is planted, some new idea, some new way of looking at something — even dance. To see that dance can be used to convey a message. It can be a powerful art form.”
Read the full article
Excerpt
“Dance is an embodied way of communicating,” she said. “Sometimes, I feel like I don’t really have a choice. It’s the path I chose, and I can’t really separate myself from dance anymore.”
Whether she’s performing on a minuscule stage or a grand one, Akinjiola’s messages are ever-present and unwavering. Through her voice and her body, she communicates with the audience and creates a connection that is specific to her medium, a connection that embodies her own self as much as the dance’s shared stories.
“I hope that it’s memorable,” Akinjiola said of her performance, taking a long pause before finishing her though, “that some new seed is planted, some new idea, some new way of looking at something — even dance. To see that dance can be used to convey a message. It can be a powerful art form.”
Read the full article
See upcoming performances and choreographic works.
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Expand you learning possibilities and study in Brazil. Oluyinka is the program coordinator for the Afro-Brazilian Dance and Cultural studies program to Salvador, Brazil.
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Bring diversity to your dance and music community through African Diaspora workshops. Oluyinka is the creator and program coordinator for community Afro-Cuban workshops.
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