Takela King is a dancer and choreographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Her background in liturgical dance ignited an interest in dance used as a form of activism and fellowship. Her creative work combines research, written text, improvisational tools, contemporary choreography, and production elements to understand the human condition. In May of 2022, she graduated from Arizona State University, where she is pursued and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Certificate in Ethics from the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts as a Barrett Honors student. 

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Prior to graduation , Takela premiered her work entitled "Possessions with a Capital People," an excerpt of her thesis project, Defendit Numerus, for Barrett, the Honors College, in February of 2022. Defendit Numerus, which premiered on March 30, 2022, explored community as a means to self-preservation through movement under the direction of choreographer, Liz Lerman and Carolyn Koch.

 

While at Arizona State, Takela performed annually in several dance productions, including Transitions, Something Fresh, and Dearest Masochist. She was cast in Between a Crown and a Hard Place, choreographed by Alicia Nascimiento Castro, which narrated the racial injustices endured by Black women in America and premiered in the Galvin Playhouse Theater. She currently a member of THE BE KIND CREW, a dance crew in partnership with The Be Kind People Project, a nonprofit organization who delivers character education curriculum and resources to Kindergarten through 8th-grade students across the United States.

 

In addition to her dancing work, Takela is active in dance production and dance scholarship. Under the direction of Carolyn Koch, she was the stage manager for Into the Blue, an MFA Thesis presentation, and Undergrad Project Presentations. She also served as a research aide for Karen Schupp, where she can apply her writing knowledge to assist in research about dance in higher education for Schupp's most recent publication, Futures of Performance. Today, Takela is a member of the Liz Lerman LLC team, assisting in administrative tasks and production of promotional material for the renowned choreographer and author, Liz Lerman. 

 

Takela continues to find ways to build community and create access to dance and culture in the Phoenix area. In September of 2023, along with Xochilt Huitzil, Sahvanna Thompson, and Coley Curry, The first annual Blending the Moves Dance Festival was presented in downtown Phoenix. Dance workshops, small business vendors, and local artists were invited to share space and build connections through dance.