[ Zakiya Rose ]

Zakiya Rose Johnson is a multimaterial movement artist, activist, and process enthusiast, who continues to debunk and expound upon false dichotomies related to world unification, generational trauma, identity, and gender. 

Born in Nassau, Bahamas, Johnson acquired her initial training in ballet and Bahamian Junkanoo, recently incorporating postmodern contemporary and mixed media into her practice throughout her university career. She is set to graduate from Arizona State University in Spring of 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and cum laude distinction. 

Zakiya was awarded the Constellation Grant from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts in support of her most recent project, Pain for Public Consumption which premiered in February of 2021. Johnson has also been awarded best student film for her choreography on a recent work titled “Armani” (2020). Her current research focuses on how dance has the capacity to impact participants’ understanding of, empathy towards, and behaviors towards social challenges society faces today.

Previously she has worked in collaboration with notable organizations such as Movement Exchange and The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment program in order to foster cross cultural understanding, civic engagement, social equality and inclusion, and creative expression through dance. 

Zakiya has had the privilege to train with artists and collectives such as Shayla Vie-Jenkins (2019), Samantha Spies (2019), Ni’Ja Whitson (2019), Nia Love(2019), Axis Dance Company (2019), Kyle Abraham (2020), Netta Yerulshalmy 2019), Michael Sokomoto (2019), Adam Mckinney (2021). 

Johnson has been a keynote speaker for local, national, and international organizations such as The Black Renaissance Podcast, ASU Gammage’s Each Measure Series, and the Grand Canyon Baha’i Conference. She has interviewed international dance film makers, and facilitated conversations on health at the American Baha’i Studies Film festival (2020), and Abundant Health. Additionally Johnson enjoys organizing and hosting events founded on artist career development, and community building such as online Jam’s (The Virtual Element), Penn Badgley (Meaningful Conversations), Mixed Mic Night (In collaboration with the Collegiate Association for Artists of Color and Arizona State University’s Music Industry Club), Community Photoshoot Meetup (ASU Dance Undergraduate Organizational Support), and Tones for Change.  Johnson also is dedicated to contributing to the funding of the arts by hosting three guest artist fundraisers a month in conjunction with a movie night for the Dance Undergraduate student body. 

Her own work has been presented at Arizona State University, Purdue University, Methods of Madness Dance theatre drive in Film festival, and Breaking rules rocking walls. 

Johnson continues to explore what it means to express for the betterment of the world in Tempe, Arizona.