THE COMPANY
The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (KKDE) was founded in 1996 by Kendra Kimbrough Barnes. The Ensemble’s mission is to bridge diverse cultures and communities through thought-provoking performances that address the common human experiences of its audience. KKDE represents a range of ages and body-types and incorporates a variety of dance styles to inform audiences about a variety of sociocultural issues. The Ensemble creates and presents dance works that build upon a wide array of dance genres, including a fusion of modern dance with movement from African, Brazilian, and North Indian cultures.
Since its founding, KKDE has self-produced numerous home seasons in Oakland, as well as producing concerts and collaborations in San Francisco. Artistic Director Barnes has worked in collaboration with dancers, musicians, and poets in order to realize her vision. KKDE has toured throughout Southern and Northern California and in Salvador, Bahia Brazil, and performed in several Bay Area dance festivals, including the East Bay Dance Series, Oakland Arts Festival, WestWave Dance Festival, Black Choreographers Festival, and ODC’s Pilot and House Special. Barnes is also an alum of the Artist in Residency program at Headlands Center for the Arts and at CounterPULSE/SF. With these critical resources and the mentorship of Rhodessa Jones of Cultural Odyssey, Barnes developed Home Is That Way?!, a dance-drama exploring the effects of the incarceration of a loved one on a family. KKDE creates socially conscious works most recently including In The Meantime, a dance-drama about breast cancer prevention and awareness as well as ANGST: 3 AM which intimately looks at anxiety in and among African American boys, during their self-identity formation, and how it affects the relationships within their families and the community - both in creative collaboration with Delina Patrice Brooks.
Since its founding, KKDE has self-produced numerous home seasons in Oakland, as well as producing concerts and collaborations in San Francisco. Artistic Director Barnes has worked in collaboration with dancers, musicians, and poets in order to realize her vision. KKDE has toured throughout Southern and Northern California and in Salvador, Bahia Brazil, and performed in several Bay Area dance festivals, including the East Bay Dance Series, Oakland Arts Festival, WestWave Dance Festival, Black Choreographers Festival, and ODC’s Pilot and House Special. Barnes is also an alum of the Artist in Residency program at Headlands Center for the Arts and at CounterPULSE/SF. With these critical resources and the mentorship of Rhodessa Jones of Cultural Odyssey, Barnes developed Home Is That Way?!, a dance-drama exploring the effects of the incarceration of a loved one on a family. KKDE creates socially conscious works most recently including In The Meantime, a dance-drama about breast cancer prevention and awareness as well as ANGST: 3 AM which intimately looks at anxiety in and among African American boys, during their self-identity formation, and how it affects the relationships within their families and the community - both in creative collaboration with Delina Patrice Brooks.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
KKDE is celebrating 25 years as a dance company with a repertoire of over 50 works! Here is a glimpse of productions over the Past 5 years.
2016
20 Year Anniversary featuring ‘Reunion of Dancers’ and premiering ‘Angst: 3AM’
2017 - 2018
“In The Meantime” written by Delina Brooks, Guest Choreographer Dandha da Hora and live musicians Julio Remelexo & Company
2019
ReDzONE: A Choreopoem & Transmutational Ritual in collaboration with Jennifer Johns
2020
The F.U.N. Manifesto in collaboration with Jennifer Johns
2021
“Resilience In-Joy” a Dance Film in collaboration with Jennifer Johns
2022
“Momentum In-Love” virtual performance
“Momentum In-Love” a dance film
Work in progress showings throughout 2022 leading to “The Golden Thread” premiere in the fall.
2016
20 Year Anniversary featuring ‘Reunion of Dancers’ and premiering ‘Angst: 3AM’
2017 - 2018
“In The Meantime” written by Delina Brooks, Guest Choreographer Dandha da Hora and live musicians Julio Remelexo & Company
2019
ReDzONE: A Choreopoem & Transmutational Ritual in collaboration with Jennifer Johns
2020
The F.U.N. Manifesto in collaboration with Jennifer Johns
2021
“Resilience In-Joy” a Dance Film in collaboration with Jennifer Johns
2022
“Momentum In-Love” virtual performance
“Momentum In-Love” a dance film
Work in progress showings throughout 2022 leading to “The Golden Thread” premiere in the fall.
DIRECTORS
KENDRA BARNES, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR has studied Contemporary, African, Brazilian, Indian, Dunham & Horton Techniques. She has performed with the late Malonga Casquelourd’s Fua Dia Congo, Chitresh Das’ Chhandam School of Kathak Dance, and Carlos Aceituno as well as projects with Donald Byrd, Robert Moses, Bebe Miller, Bill T. Jones, and Rosangela Silvestre.
In 1996 she founded the Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (KKDE). Most recent works include notable dance-dramas: ReDzONE, In The Meantime, and Angst in collaboration with Delina Patrice Brooks. Currently Ms. Barnes is collaborating with Oakland veteran vocalist Jennifer Johns on Resilience In-Joy, cultivating and choosing joy in the midst of struggle.
She has been a guest choreographer for San Francisco State University Dance Department, Dimensions Extensions Youth Performance Ensemble, Move Dance Theater of Oakland, and Abundant Life Christian Fellowship (staging a 100+ cast for a 4,000+ audience). KKDE has presented work at the East Bay Dance Festival, Alice Arts Center, the Black Choreographers Festival, Summerfest/WestWave Dance Festival, ODC Pilot, PUSHfest and Dance Mosaic.
Barnes has taught dance to adults and children of all ages through Dimension’s Rites of Passage program in Oakland at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts and jazz, Pilates and yoga at San Mateo, Laney and SF City Colleges. She has been an artist in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts and CounterPULSE.
Her work as co-choreographer (with Latanya d Tigner) for CalShakes’ Black Odyssey was a finalist for the Theater Bay Area Best Choreography Award and she was the 2018 recipient of a Broadway World award for Best Choreography as Choreographer for the African American Shakespeare Company’s (AASC) production of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Other work includes AASC's "Black Eagles" and Crowded Fire Theater's "INKED Baby"
Barnes is also co-founder/director for the Black Choreographers Festival (BCF), along with Laura Elaine Ellis (AAAPAC). Since 2005 BCF has served local, national and international artists with over 150 public events, acknowledging the diverse artistic expression within the context of African and African American dance and culture. Under her direction, K*Star*Productions, the presenting organization for BCF and KKDE, has received funding from the City of Oakland Cultural Arts Program, CA$H, The Irvine Foundation, the Zellerbach Family Fund, Alameda County Arts Commission, East Bay Community Foundation, California Arts Council, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, and The Walter and Elise Haas Fund Foundation.
Barnes holds a BA in Dance from San Francisco State University and a MA in Arts Administration from Golden Gate University. She graduated with honors and is a recipient of the "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges" Award and "Who's Who Among American Women.”
A long time community and adjunct dance instructor she currently teaches dance at UC Berkeley and freelances as an administrator, teacher, and choreographer.
In 1996 she founded the Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (KKDE). Most recent works include notable dance-dramas: ReDzONE, In The Meantime, and Angst in collaboration with Delina Patrice Brooks. Currently Ms. Barnes is collaborating with Oakland veteran vocalist Jennifer Johns on Resilience In-Joy, cultivating and choosing joy in the midst of struggle.
She has been a guest choreographer for San Francisco State University Dance Department, Dimensions Extensions Youth Performance Ensemble, Move Dance Theater of Oakland, and Abundant Life Christian Fellowship (staging a 100+ cast for a 4,000+ audience). KKDE has presented work at the East Bay Dance Festival, Alice Arts Center, the Black Choreographers Festival, Summerfest/WestWave Dance Festival, ODC Pilot, PUSHfest and Dance Mosaic.
Barnes has taught dance to adults and children of all ages through Dimension’s Rites of Passage program in Oakland at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts and jazz, Pilates and yoga at San Mateo, Laney and SF City Colleges. She has been an artist in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts and CounterPULSE.
Her work as co-choreographer (with Latanya d Tigner) for CalShakes’ Black Odyssey was a finalist for the Theater Bay Area Best Choreography Award and she was the 2018 recipient of a Broadway World award for Best Choreography as Choreographer for the African American Shakespeare Company’s (AASC) production of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Other work includes AASC's "Black Eagles" and Crowded Fire Theater's "INKED Baby"
Barnes is also co-founder/director for the Black Choreographers Festival (BCF), along with Laura Elaine Ellis (AAAPAC). Since 2005 BCF has served local, national and international artists with over 150 public events, acknowledging the diverse artistic expression within the context of African and African American dance and culture. Under her direction, K*Star*Productions, the presenting organization for BCF and KKDE, has received funding from the City of Oakland Cultural Arts Program, CA$H, The Irvine Foundation, the Zellerbach Family Fund, Alameda County Arts Commission, East Bay Community Foundation, California Arts Council, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, and The Walter and Elise Haas Fund Foundation.
Barnes holds a BA in Dance from San Francisco State University and a MA in Arts Administration from Golden Gate University. She graduated with honors and is a recipient of the "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges" Award and "Who's Who Among American Women.”
A long time community and adjunct dance instructor she currently teaches dance at UC Berkeley and freelances as an administrator, teacher, and choreographer.
Yeni Lucero, ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR was born in Chalchuapa, El Salvador and began her training in West African dance at the age of 15 with Mama Naomi Washington and Papa Zak Diouf . She graduated with a BA in Dance and Choreography from San Francisco State University, studying Haitian Dance, Dunham, Limon, Ballet, Congolese, Jazz, and received further training at the Ailey School. Lucero has performed with Ron K. Brown/Evidence, Robert Moses' Kin, Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble, Diamanou Coura, Paco Gomes, Alayo Dance Company, & Delina Patrice. She has also appeared in multiple music videos and most recently with Kev Choice and the San Francisco Symphony. Lucero has taught at many schools and organizations in the Bay Area and internationally, including Sonoma State University, Pixar Animation Studios, Lines Dance Center, Adobe, Bottle Rock Festival, Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School, San Francisco Salsa Rueda Festival, The National Dance Company of Mozambique and Cuba. Ms. Lucero is a Teaching Artist Specialist for the Alameda County Office Of Education, and a proud full time Oakland dance educator/Specialist Chair and founder of Cox Academy Dance program. Most recently she joined KKDE as Associate Artistic Director, she is very blessed to have joined such powerful purposeful Dance Company, looking forward to what the future brings.
ENSEMBLE
Zak Dylan, DANCER "If you were to ask his grandmother, she would tell you that Zak, born and raised in San Francisco, came into this world dancing. After enough leaping and spinning around his family's Bayview home, at age 7 he began taking kid's dance classes with Micaya at Dance Mission. At age 9 he joined City Shock SF, a youth Hip-Hop Dance troupe, associated with Culture Shock Oakland, and led by Darnell Carrol. At age 15, Zak began training Capoeira under Mestra Marcia Cigarra in the Mission district, deeply attracted to the improvisational format and rhythmic flow of the martial art. His path within Capoeira led him to Brazil on four different trips, where he trained in Rio de Janeiro under various masters and competed in international competitions. At age 25, while in Brazil he was granted the high rank of Instructor. In 2018, he began training House dance and other club/street styles at MVMNT Studio in Berkeley under members of the legendary breaking/house crew, Circle of Fire. Coming full circle back to dance, he has found the greatest joy in weaving his foundation of Capoeira into his other styles, onto the dance floor of his favorite environment: the club. In joining the KKDE, Zak is inspired to deepen his spiritual journey in movement with the challenge of taking on new forms of dance and collaborating with fellow artists. Zak received his Associates degree in Arts & Humanities from City College of San Francisco in 2014; his Bachelor's in Society & Environment from University of California, Berkeley in 2016."
Mika Lemoine, APPRENTICE, is from Oakland, California (Ohlone land), Mika Lemoine has over a decade of experience performing and teaching. She most recently held the title of Teaching Artist Mentor at Destiny Arts Center. In 2017, Mika co-founded See Through Soul, an Oakland-grown dance company that practices healing and storytelling through movement. She has a BA in Dance from UCLA’s department of World Arts and Cultures which informs her work at her company. Mika specializes in House dance, Hip Hop dance, and Waacking, and toured with Contra Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theater (LA), Versastyle Dance Company (LA), and Embodiment Project (SF). Most recently, she danced in dana e. fitchett's evening length work neverfoundneverlost and currently performs with Mix’d Ingrdnt’s (Oakland).
Joseline Granados, APPRENTICE, Joseline "YO$HI" Granados (pronouns she/her) is an Oakland-based Creative Director, dancer, choreographer and dance instructor from Los Angeles, CA. She has trained in dance for over 15 years and has taught dance professionally for over 6 years. She moved to San Francisco in 2016 to pursue her dance career and in 2018, she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Dance from San Francisco State University. After college, Joseline began to teach her Reggaeton workshops, using her impressive background in various dance styles such as: ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, heels, dancehall, afro dance, afro house and bachata.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Nate Barnes
Delina Patrice Brooks
Tasha Henneman
Kysha Mitchell
Deborah Vaughan
Fiscal Sponsor
Dimensions Dance Theater
Nate Barnes
Delina Patrice Brooks
Tasha Henneman
Kysha Mitchell
Deborah Vaughan
Fiscal Sponsor
Dimensions Dance Theater