Choreography, Performance & Carnival
Movement · Embodied Storytelling · Cultural Memory
I create and perform work through African and Afro-Caribbean dance, embodied storytelling, cultural memory and Carnival.
Massinda Zinga
Where movement becomes healing, culture becomes joy, and resistance becomes power.
My Practice
My practice brings together artistic creation, cultural research, education, community and creative production.
Rooted in African and Afro-Caribbean cultural practices and informed by more than 20 years of experience, I move between the studio, the stage, the street, the classroom, research spaces and wider cultural contexts.
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Research, Writing & Knowledge Sharing
Black Dance · African & Afro-Caribbean Cultures · Carnival · Cultural Memory
I investigate African and Afro-Caribbean dance, Carnival and Black diasporic cultures through fieldwork, embodied practice, writing and critical analysis. I translate and share this research through books, publications, educational content, talks, lectures, workshops and other forms of cultural storytelling, creating accessible ways to engage with the histories, meanings and knowledge carried through movement.
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Embodiment, Education & Community
Dance · Somatic Practice · Mentorship · Collective Learning
I create workshops and programmes that connect movement, identity, wellbeing, cultural knowledge and community.
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Cultural Production
Artistic Direction · Project Development · Events · Partnerships
I develop and coordinate culturally meaningful projects, events and experiences that bring people together through creativity, culture and collective practice.
In Practice
Book · Research · Writing
Dancing Resistance
Afro-Caribbean Bodies & Living Memory
My first book brings together embodied research, cultural memory and reflections on African and Afro-Caribbean dance.
Research · Performance · Cultural Practice
Carnival
Carnival is both a field of research and a living part of my artistic practice. Through participation, fieldwork and cultural research, I look at Carnival as a space of memory, movement, pleasure, resistance and transformation while also questioning how history, gender, capitalism, tourism and contemporary culture shape what we see today. Alongside my research, I work as a Carnival performer, muse, cultural content creator and creative collaborator with bands, cultural organisations and other partners.
Embodiment · Dancehall · Cultural Education
Beyond the Moves
One of my signature programmes, Beyond the Moves brings Dancehall, cultural history and embodied practice together. Going beyond choreography, it creates space to understand the histories, contexts and knowledge carried through Dancehall — and to consider how deeper cultural awareness can transform the way we move and engage with the practice. Available as a 3-hour introductory workshop or an 8-session programme, it can travel to festivals, studios, cultural organisations and educational spaces internationally.
Let's Work Together
Whether you are looking for a choreographer, educator, speaker, cultural consultant, researcher, creative collaborator or producer, I work with organisations and individuals to create projects rooted in movement, culture, knowledge and community. Have a project in mind? Looking for a workshop, programme or immersive experience?