Kevin McEwen

A native of Brooklyn New York, Kevin's love for dance goes back to the early days of break dancing and reggae dance hall competitions across the city.Kevin has over 15 years experience as a performing artist and dance educator. His foundation in African Diaspora art forms is grounded in dance technique from Senegal, Mali and Guinea. Over the past several years, Kevin has broadened his dance repertoire by studying under dance masters to include Afro Cuban, Afro Jazz, Haitian Folkloric, and the Martha Graham Modern/Contemporary dance technique.Kevin's projects include collaborative projects with Ase Dance Collective, GayleForce Publishing, the Howard University Dance Department and the creation of the Re-Definition of Manhood (ROM) Project, which gives guidance to young black African American men through mentor-ship, performing arts development and rites of passage indoctrination. His choreographed work entitled "Nagnou Fecc - The Men MUST Dance" was his artistic protest to the increased and rampant assault on the black identity. "We are at a place and time where we are literally being hunted down and assassinate by those who think they control us, however it is my belief that these strategic emasculating activities are happening to us as a whole only because we allow them to happen."His independent research in dance ethnography and pedagogy within the countries of Senegal and Mali has him sought after by many different educational institutions and organizations.Mr. McEwen is the founder and artistic director of Kofago Dance Ensemble, where he trains young aspiring artists in the ways of traditional West African dance technique. He is also a professor at Queensborough Community College and is moving forward with his goal of going for a Doctorate of Education, where his dissertation will highlight the need for diversity in collegiate level dance education.