Donna's Bio

Donna Mejia is a choreographer, lecturer, teacher, administrator, and performer specializing in contemporary dance, traditions of the African and Arab Diaspora, and emerging fusion traditions in Transnational Electronica. For 10 years she was a faculty member at Colorado College and Director of the Colorado College International Summer Dance Festival. For twelve years she served as managing director of the award-winning Harambee African Dance Ensemble of CU-Boulder. With Harambee she was awarded the prestigious El Pomar Foundation grant, was featured in the March 1996 issue of Dance Magazine, performed for President Bill Clinton and Nobel Laureate Archbiship Desmond Tutu, and was hailed as the “Best of Boulder” for 3 years running. Donna is an authorized instructor of Brazilian Silvestre Modern Dance Technique and is the primary person assisting in codifying this esoteric study of dance and the body after 20 years of practice. Donna was the Guest Artist in Residence for Smith College Dance 2006 through 2009, and has been awarded extended residencies at the Naropa Institute, Mt. Holyoke College, Hampshire College, University of Northern Colorado, Tapei National University of the Arts, Bucknell University, Colorado State University, EarthDance, Jacob’s Pillow International Dance Festival and the Bates International Dance Festival. Donna achieved honors marks in the completion her Master of Fine Arts degree on full fellowship. She is director of the Sovereign Collective, a social action and performance ensemble. Additionally, she consults for publishers, theatrical productions, community organizations and nonprofits; is writing articles based on her research and teachings in the evolving field of identity in the digital diaspora, ethics/integrity in global dance culture; and the deconstruction of the femme fatale caricature in dance. Her choreographic commissions and performances continue to generate outstanding critical reviews from print and digital press.ontemporary dance, traditions of the African and Arab Diaspora, and emerging fusion traditions in Transnational Electronica. For 10 years she was a faculty member at Colorado College and Director of the Colorado College International Summer Dance Festival. For twelve years she served as managing director of the award-winning Harambee African Dance Ensemble of CU-Boulder. With Harambee she was awarded the prestigious El Pomar Foundation grant, was featured in the March 1996 issue of Dance Magazine, performed for President Bill Clinton and Nobel Laureate Archbiship Desmond Tutu, and was hailed as the “Best of Boulder” for 3 years running. Donna is an authorized instructor of Brazilian Silvestre Modern Dance Technique and is the primary person assisting in codifying this esoteric study of dance and the body after 20 years of practice. Donna was the Guest Artist in Residence for Smith College Dance 2006 through 2009, and has been awarded extended residencies at the Naropa Institute, Mt. Holyoke College, Hampshire College, University of Northern Colorado, Tapei National University of the Arts, Bucknell University, Colorado State University, EarthDance, Jacob’s Pillow International Dance Festival and the Bates International Dance Festival. Donna achieved honors marks in the completion her Master of Fine Arts degree on full fellowship. She is director of the Sovereign Collective, a social action and performance ensemble. Additionally, she consults for publishers, theatrical productions, community organizations and nonprofits; is writing articles based on her research and teachings in the evolving field of identity in the digital diaspora, ethics/integrity in global dance culture; and the deconstruction of the femme fatale caricature in dance. Her choreographic commissions and performances continue to generate outstanding critical reviews from print and digital press.