Bio:

An internationally recognized hip-hop dancer, choreographer, and teacher, Amirah Sackett explores and embodies her Muslim American identity through combining hip-hop movement and Islamic themes. She is widely known for her creation of the choreography and performance group known as, “We’re Muslim, Don’t Panic”, which reached viral video fame after being featured on POPSUGAR Celebrity, The Huffington Post, AJ+, and Upworthy. Sackett was honored to be a TEDx speaker, guest lecturer at Harvard University, and a cultural diplomat with the U.S. State Department in Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Amirah believes her art and identity as both Muslim and American, has the power to build bridges between communities fostering mutual understanding, increased knowledge, awareness, and unity. She uses her voice to fearlessly combat negative stereotypes about Muslim women, and educate communities with little or no contact with their fellow Muslim Americans. She believes hip-hop, as a medium, to be a transformative art form, both for the audience and practitioners.

Program – Workshop – Residency

Program/Performance

Amirah lectures about misconceptions around Islam and Muslim women.  She shares her personal experiences participating in hip-hop culture, and the reasons she melded her Muslim and American identities together in her performances.  Amirah then performs her signature solo works, using original sound design by Chicago musician and DJ, Nevin S. Hersch, and the poetry of Rumi. The evening ends with a Q&A discussion with the audience.

Workshop:

Amirah teaches an action packed movement workshop exploring foundational styles of hip-hop including: top rocking, breaking, popping, and tutting.  Participants develop a better understanding and appreciation for hip-hop history and culture.

Full or Partial Teaching and Performance Residency

Amirah can work with presenters to custom build a schedule of events in their community.  This can include master classes in hip-hop movement, lecture- demonstrations, classroom lectures on her Muslim American identity and artistry, community outreach activities, and ends in performance.  A residency can be 3-5 days, or as long as two weeks, depending on interest and availability. Amirah finds a residency the best way to engage with the community and make the biggest impact on her visit.