Germaul Barnes

Germaul Yusef Barnes (dancer/teacher/choreographer)- recently choreographed the World Premiere of Marley , the first original musical based on the life and music of the reggie superstar Bob Marley written & directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah. Mr Barnes is a former principal dancer and currently a répétiteur for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, where he received the New York Dance and Performance Award-The Bessie Award. Mr. Barnes received the Arts International Grant in 2003 which fostered his anthropology study in a small village called Kwahu Tafo in Ghana,West Africa. One of his highest personal achievement is assisting and demonstrating for legendary choreographer/anthropologist, Katherine Dunham.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona, graduate from South Mountain High School of the Arts. He went on to perform in A Chorus Line and Guys & Dolls with Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Mr. Barnes continued his dance education at the University of the Arts/ Philadelphia. While at University of the Arts, his talents were recognized by receiving the University Creative Grant, which gave him the opportunity to produce an evening of his choreography, Viewsic Expression. Out of this evening Mr. Barnes formed an arts organization in 1991, now based in Brooklyn, New York.

As Viewsic Expression-VE artistic director Mr. Barnes mission is to promote and present multi-media dance performances, art exhibitions, and educational residencies. VE has collaborated with artist such as choreographer Eleo Pomare, composer Bongani Nododana, and visual artist Peter McMath and others. Viewsic Expression has presented works by Eleo Pomare, Bill T. Jones, Leni William, and Germaul Y. Barnes as past of the Black Bones Project 92nd Street Y and Jacobs Pillow.

In 1993 Mr. Barnes moved to Berlin, Germany to performed with Tolada Dance Company (Joseph Tmim, choreographer) and taught throughout Europe.  He has received raving reviews and brilliant acclaim as a dance instructor from prominent dance academies throughout Germany (TanzFabric, Ballet Centrum, Milton’s TanzSchool, and others). Mr. Barnes has taught for Black College Dance Exchange, Guest Artist at Skidmore College, University of Buffalo, Ghana National Dance Theater, Xavier College Prep., Dance Masters/New York, COCA, Cleo Parker Summer Intensive, and 92nd Street Y, Harkness Dance Center, New Dance Technique Laboratory and Guest Artist at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Alabama Dance Festival, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, among other.

Mr. Barnes has received many commissions to create new dances for (New York)- Alvin Ailey/Fordham School, Judson Memorial Church, Aaron Davis Hall, P.S.122, Danspace Project/St. Mark Church, DanceNow/New York, Saratoga Arts Gallery, Dixon Place, HerlemStages/The Gate House, Restoration Youth Arts Academy, Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, Skidmore College, Calvin Wiley Dance Theater, (Alabama)- Southern DanceWorks, Alabama School of Fine Arts (Arizona)-Phoenix Arts Commission and has created eight new works for Movement Source Dance Company, (Massachusetts) Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, Summer Stage Dance (Toronto, Canada) danceImmersion, Jasmyn Fyffe Dance (Ohio)- Cleveland Contemporary Dance Company, (International) Belarus International Modern Dance Festival, Boroditski Denis Dance Company, Ghana National Dance Company, Lublin International Dance Festival Mr. Barnes 15 year collaboration with South African composer Bongani Ndodana, he choreographed, danced and directed Uhambo an opera-oratiorio in Graham Town, South Africa. In January 2003, Mr. Barnes choreographed the opera Lâ'Histoire du Soldat in Toronto, Canada. 

Mr. Barnes has also danced with Pilobolus Dance Company, Tolada Dance Company (Berlin, Germany), Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Philadanco--Philadelphia Dance Company, Movement Source Dance Co. and Group Motion Dance Company. He has appeared as a Guest Artists with Minnesota Ballet, Ohwia Ballet Company (Tokyo, Japan), Errol Grimes Dance Group, Joan Miller Dance Players, and Shrapiro and Smith and, TU Dance Company/Panumber Theater Company.