​Ajani Brannum (they/them) is an undisciplinary artists whose practice is a meditation on performance, embodiment, and selfhood. Their work investigates the bodily stakes of living and belonging in an increasingly alienating world. Through choreography, text, and sound, they reimagine the ancestral wisdoms of myth, folklore, teaching, and prayer. Their work makes space for collective contemplation, inviting participants to playful, rigorous examination of themselves, their values, and their relationships. Ultimately, their work challenges our habits of perception; tests the limits of identity; and builds skills for emotional, relational, and spiritual healing.

 

Ajani has created spaces of encounter with REDCAT, ODC, Human Resources Los Angeles, Materials & Applications, Highways Performance Space, Los Angeles Performance Practice, in classrooms, on tabletops and screens, and when no one is looking. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, they hold an AB in English and a Certificate in Dance from Princeton University, and a PhD in Culture and Performance from UCLA. They are also an alum of the Cecilia Weston Spiritual Academy, helmed by Jade T. Perry.

​

Click here to view CV. Photo by Matt Savitsky.