Artist
Biography
She is a namesake, Kittie Mae, named after women unbowed in her family lineage from Mississippi and West Africa. She is a Chicago-born and raised artist with a BFA in Dance Performance. Her work examines the history and impact of Black women’s experiences of agency and autonomy through dance performance to address harmful US dance cultures and promote environmental justice. Throughout her dance training, she overcame issues accessing spaces that required travel, class requirements of fees, and dance attire that were barriers for her working-class family because of systematic structures like classism, racism, and physical aesthetics. She is committed to community care, healing, empowerment, and building thriving conditions for communities impacted by systematic issues like she has growing up. She is the creator of a community-based book club. She is the recipient of; The 2023 Culture and Animal Foundation award, the 2019 Arts and Culture Association award, and the 2018 Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events award. Her professional credits include dancing with; Rasta Dance Chicago, The Chicago Blackhawks, The Steve Harvey Show, Trifecta Dance Collective, Praize Productions, and Chicago Dance Supply. After receiving her first grant she felt empowered that she had a vision that not only uplifts her body autonomy but a vessel that could combat the negative conceptions that have historically pushed Black dancers out of the US dance culture space. With this intention, she hopes to alleviate difficulties for future generations of Black dancers.
Education
Kittie Mae teaches creative movement, ballet, hip-hop, modern, contemporary, musical theatre, jazz, and tap. She also offers private lessons for dancers who want extra training and assistance.
Kittie Mae Morris
Get in
Touch
Washington, DC
kittiemorris@gmail.com
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