Zakiya Cornish

26 Jan Zakiya Cornish

Zakiya L Cornish is a dance artist, choreographer, and educator whose innovative Contemporary African dance practice is grounded in her wealth of knowledge and experience of West African dance and music, and African American vernacular dance. Zakiya has had the opportunity to work with Tony-award nominee Jeffrey Page, Bessie Award nominee Lela Aisha Jones, and Ron K. Brown of Evidence Dance Company. Zakiya has worked closely with world-renowned, Kulu Mele Traditional African Drum and Dance Company where she performed, often directed rehearsals, served as a production/stage manager and lighting designer, and set original choreography. She also had the great honor of studying with Germain Acogny and many other artists at the École des Sables in Senegal.

Zakiya has served as a K-12 teaching artist and arts integrationist for over 10 years, including a 5- year residency with Young Audiences of Louisiana, culminating in an invitation for her students to perform in Los Angeles for Adam Shankman and the Dizzy Feet Foundation. Zakiya received her MFA in Dance from Temple University, where she has served as an adjunct professor and has taught many master classes across the higher education sector. Zakiya recently served as an Assistant Visiting Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Currently, she is choreographing, teaching, and performing as an independent artist.