Biography
- PhD, philosophy, art theory and aesthetics, Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts
- MFA, new media arts and performance, Long Island University
- Certificate, Martha Graham technique, Martha Graham Center for Contemporary Dance
- BFA, theatre arts/dance, Howard University
Prior to joining the Temple faculty, yaTande Whitney V. Hunter served as adjunct faculty at Long Island University's Dance Department, Program Director of Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, and Dance Program Manager at AS220. He has taught nationally and internationally at various schools and colleges namely The Ailey School, the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Harlem School of the Arts, Dance Institute of Washington, Centro Nacional de Danza Contemporánea (MX), Dance Iquail, and others.
Dr. yaTande’s work centers around cultivating individual and communal spirit through dance-performance, education, and curation. His choreographic and performance art works have been presented through Performance Garage, Kumble Theater, La Mama, Grace Exhibition Space, Panoply Performance Laboratory, Brooklyn International Performance Art Festival and in the streets of NYC, Chicago and Detroit. He has worked in performance with Martha Graham Dance Company, Rod Rodgers Dance Company, Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group, Martha Clarke, Fiona Templeton, Daria Faïn and Robert Kocik, John Jesurun, KanKouran West African Dance Company, Yass Hakoshima, Najwa Dance Corps, and others. He currently directs his Denizen Arts Project co-created with his life partner, theatre artist, Jude Sandy.
Dr. yaTande has received creation and exhibition commissions and grants from such organizations and institutions as National Endowment for the Arts, Independence Fellowship, Temple University Vice Provost Arts Grant, Brown University Department of Africana Studies-Rites and Reason Theatre, Providence Arts, Culture and Tourism; New York State Council for the Arts; Puffin Foundation; Harlem Stages; Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center; Brooklyn International Performance Art Festival; Lumen Festival and others. Recent choreography/performances include Black (Lavender) Angels Fest; Walk the (pink) Elephant; 9Roads (Dorry’s nominated, “dance performance of the year”). His choreography/movement direction for theatre credits include: Roger Q. Mason’s, The Duat (Nominated: “Outstanding Choreography/Movement in a Play,” Barrymore Theatre Awards), August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean, Little Shop of Horrors (Winner: “Best Musical of the Year,” Motif Magazine), black odyssey (Winner: “Best Production,” Motif Magazine), A Christmas Carol (Trinity Repertory Theatre), We Are Proud to Present… (Guthrie Theatre); Lives of Great Poisoners (Brown University); The Persian Quarter (Merrimack Repertory Theatre); Finian’s Rainbow (Berkshire Theatre Festival).
His creative and scholarly work explores the convergences of sacred and secular ritual through Afro-spiritualities and Africanist principles, articulated as an AfrOist aesthetic in contemporary dance performance.