“DANCE FROM THE HEART & MAKE BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT!”
Afia “Beautiful One” Thompson
Afia “Beautiful One” Thompson received her acclaim 20 years ago in West African dance. She has performed nationally and internationally in genres including jazz, hip-hop, lindy hop, freestyle, and modern dance. Her company Bahiya Movement has participated in SF Juneteenth, Black Choreographers, and Mbongui Square. Recently their piece iNdigo Skin: In Fear of Black Fruit, placed 2nd at Luna Dance Studio ChoreoFund 7 in Berkeley. She has graced the stages of The Palace of Fine Arts, Yerba Buena, and Oakland’s Art and Soul festivals. She continues to teach classes in the Oakland community to professional dancers and dance enthusiast of all ages.
Nafi “Neon Blue” Thompson
Nafi Thompson is the Artistic Director of Bahiya Movement dance company which she founded with her mother Afia Thompson in 2011. She started dancing at the tender age of three, at Spelman College’s youth dance program in Atlanta, GA. She studied Traditional West African dance with Diamano Coura West African Dance Company, and Hip-Hop, Modern Jazz, and Ballet with Dimensions Dance Theater’s “Rites of Passage Program”. Nafi performed professionally with Dimension Extension Performance Ensemble for several years under the direction of Latonya Tigner. Nafi has worked as an Artistic mentor with Skyline High School’s Dance Production with Director Dawn James. She has nurtured, inspired, motivated and mentored many Oakland youth. Nafi has provided dance and networking opportunities by way of Bahiya Movement for the students of Skyline Dance Department to present and showcase their talent beyond the Oakland Unified School District, at such venues as The Art and Soul Festival, Black Choreographers Festival and The Mbongui Square Festival.