Artist Spotlight: Ni'ja Whitson

Ni’ja Whitson is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, and writer based in Riverside, California. They are an Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of California Riverside. Whitson is Gender-nonconforming and uses the pronouns They/Them. Whitson focuses their work based on african Rituals, that aim to bring the Sacred onto the streets. They engage a nexus of postmodern and African Diasporic performance practices, through a critical intersection of gender, sexuality, race, and spirituality. 

What intrests me the most about their work though, was how captivating it was. we were only able to see a snippet of their work in class due to time restraints, but, the Majesty and sheer Magnitude of concentration in their performance had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The simple movements, the dance, the voices, the music The magic of their performances is indescribable. 

While not only being technically advanced, with well researched and meaningful performances, their art also teethers on the edge of being radical. Their work “234234234″,a site-specific performance that responded to the 234 missing school girls kidnapped in Chibok, Nigeria in a public endurance 234 minute performance highlighted the important aspect of the lack of facilities, and loss of the lives of these girls. Their social impact pieces, about relevant socal issues help to highlight inequalities but also, give a loud and clear voice to those who are voiceless and forgotten. All in all, I really enjoyed learning about Ni’ja’s work in class and am glad I got to know her as an artist.