NEVE Mazique

Fellow 2020
Choreographer, writer and performer living in the Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Seattle, USA)
Cooperating partner: Marc Brew, AXIS Dance Company (Oakland, USA)

NEVE Mazique (preferred pronouns: they/ze) is a choreographer, writer, composer, and performer based in Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Seattle, USA). They are a Black (Indigenous Sudanese) and Germanic & Celtic-American biqueer polygender trash-opulent fairy-femme Disabled country-punk boy and claim among their ancestors Edward C. Mazique, physician and revolutionary, and Margery Williams Bianco, the author of The Velveteen Rabbit. Ze is a co-founder of Access-Centered Movement and recently founded Mouthwater, an Access-Centered Dance Company.

For their fellowship, NEVE is cooperating with AXIS, which is considered the premiere dance company for integrated contemporary dance in the United States, as well as one of the most renowned in the world. From July until the end of October, NEVE will be shadowing and assisting AXIS‘ Artistic Director, Marc Brew. During this time, they will learn about his experience in translating choreography between different bodies, creating new works and leading a professional dance company. During their fellowship stay in Oakland (California, USA) Brew will develop a new piece and show it at AXIS‘ Home Season Performances. NEVE will accompany the transfer of his work from studio to stage.

NEVE's reports

„The choreographic work of Seattle-based artist NEVE Mazique challenges the audience‘s perceptional patterns by questioning the physical vocabulary and body norms predominant in dance. The cooperation with AXIS Dance Company in Oakland will provide a chance to share and learn from other artists exploring similar issues and to explore the choices for professional artists questioning and developing practice in the field of contemporary choreography. Again, the combination of political and artistic choices provides a rich and innovative palette and has the potential to challenge audiences, artists and dance programmers as well as to shape new perspectives on dance.“
- Jury-Statement