Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney

Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney

Assistant Professor

Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney

Office Phone

313-577-3508

Primary E-mail

rasmikeyc@wayne.edu

Biography

Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney is an Emmy awarded lifist/performing arts professional who explores the concept of ‘movement as cultural knowledge’, by using the arts as a conduit for cultural understanding in communities globally. As an established choreographer, director, educator, singer/songwriter, and host/emcee, Dr. RAS received a BFA in Modern Dance from the UARTs in Philadelphia and an Advanced MA degree in Ethnochoreology from the University of Limerick in Ireland, where he also completed his PhD in Arts Practice Research. Dr. RAS has developed an embodied contemporary Ethiopian form he calls Ethio-Modern Dance, which he transmits through workshops, lectures, classes, and publications. Dr. RAS’ works reflect his diverse cultural experiences and investigate the relevance of embodied cultural knowledge within performance and education. In conjunction with teaching and producing various works with his company Fore Im a Versatile Entertainer (F.I.V.E.) LLC, Dr. RAS has also collaborated with artists and companies from around the world, including Pilobolus, Raven-Symoné, Major Lazer, the Marley family, Chronixx, Irish Aid, AfroFlow, Skales, and the International Organization of Migration in Addis Ababa, to name a few. Dr. RAS Mikey has facilitated a student/staff exchange between the University of Limerick and Addis Ababa University.

As a songwriter Dr RAS addresses systemic divides, in our Eurocentric world, through the lens of the Africanist experience. His latest music EP release THIN LINE (2023) is a cinematic soundtrack of the times and his third project with producer Kenny Allen.

“Movement is life and I’m a Lifist” www.rasmikeyc.com

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