2026 Master of Fine Arts in Dance: Embodied Interdisciplinary Praxis (MFAEIP) Graduate
I am Asili Abena Nebet-Het Nadirah Johnson. My name carries deep significance, reflecting my identity and purpose. It affirms my calling to create, innovate, and heal through the art of dance, as I work to shape A New Vessel.
Asili, means “seed, beginning, ancestor” in Swahili. It reflects my deep-rooted connection to my lineage. My work is a dialogue with my ancestors, using movement to bring healing and clarity to the communities I touch and myself. Born into a lineage of storytelling, resilience, and rhythm. I draw inspiration from my mother—an accomplished scholar, West African choreographer, and dancer—and my father, a distinguished drummer and entrepreneur. My movement integrates African and African American social dances shaped by the cultural influences of New York City and Atlanta, creating dances that are intricate and rhythmically complex. Through choreography, I honor the past while envisioning the future—allowing movement to speak where words cannot.
Abena, from the Akan people of Ghana, means “born on a Tuesday” and signifies courage and boldness. My creative process is rooted in community and collaboration. I begin with music, experimenting with sounds and live accompaniment, allowing conversations to shape the theme and direction of my work. My choreography celebrates the African American experience—uplifting our narratives, struggles, and triumphs— while preserving and expanding traditions that shape my work. Nebet-Het, the Egyptian goddess of divine assistance and protection, inspires my commitment to protecting the Black experience while reimagining its artistic possibilities. Nadirah, meaning “rare,” encapsulates my mission—to push boundaries and expand the potential of dance as a transformative force. Guided by my ancestors, I strive to create a lasting legacy that bridges past, present, and future.
Photos by Cammel Hurse
Stand N Your Purpose Credits:
Created and performed by Asili Johnson in collaboration with:
Kojo Ayinde-Johnson, musician
Shaelyn Mullins, narrator
Chanell Mangum, dance
Aliyah Webster, dancer
Erin Peters, dancer
Asili Johnson is a choreographer and manifestor working at the intersections of performance, authenticity, and business. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she began her training at the age of three across Black-owned dance conservatories, where she studied ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern, contemporary, lyrical, and more. She was also trained and deeply embedded in Traditional West African Dance and Drum by her parents.
Asili attended High School at Buxton School in Williamstown, MA, which is an independent arts school, graduating in 2020. Johnson then continued her education and earned her B.A. from Spelman College as a dual major in Economics and Dance Performance & Choreography, graduating Magna Cum Laude in Spring 2024, and is currently pursuing her M.F.A. in Dance at Duke University while also obtaining a certification in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Duke Fuqua’s School of Business. As a current graduate student, she choreographed new work for November Dances, the Fall 2025 Dance Concert at Duke.
The Master of Fine Arts in Dance: Embodied Interdisciplinary Praxis (MFAEIP) is a two-year, full-time, terminal degree program grounded in Duke’s interdisciplinary approach. This program encourages research that responds to urgent global issues and joins critical conversations both within and beyond the arts.
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