Kieron Dwayne Sargeant
Bio
Kieron Dwayne Sargeant is a multifaceted artist, choreographer, performer, drummer, dance researcher, and educator hailing from Trinidad and Tobago. His extensive career is rooted in the exploration and promotion of African-Caribbean diasporic traditions. Currently, he holds the position of Assistant Professor of Dance at Skidmore College. Sargeant earned his MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Florida State University, an MA in Community Dance from Ohio University, and a BA in Dance Education from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.
Sargeant's choreography has received international recognition, with his works commissioned and showcased widely across the United States, Canada, Cuba, Grenada, Barbados, Togo, Nigeria, and various European locations through MSC Cruise Lines. Among his notable choreographic achievements are He Shall Walk, commissioned by Northwestern University’s Black Arts Consortium and the Mellon Foundation Sawyer Seminar, as well as collaborative endeavors like Mirror of the Soul (Danse Contemporaine Togo), Legend of the Pitch Lake Myth (University of Iowa Dance Company), and Rebirth (Minnesota State University).
His esteemed performance and collaborative history include partnerships with renowned institutions and organizations such as the International Association of Blacks in Dance, NYU Steinhardt, Collegium for African Diaspora Dance, Simon Fraser University, Woezo Africa Music and Dance Theatre Inc., Ecole des Sables in Senegal, and the Nigerian Dance Guild. Furthermore, he has worked alongside distinguished dance practitioners and scholars, including Thomas Talawa Prestø, Caroline Clay, Makeda Thomas, and Caroline Copeland.
Sargeant is a dedicated researcher and author whose academic endeavors investigate the connections between dance, identity, ritual, and resistance within the African diaspora. His body of work includes collaborative publications such as "Transatlantic Dance Traditions" and an upcoming chapter titled "Flick the Skirt: The Amplification of the African Body," which will appear in The African Diaspora and Civic Engagement. His research has been prominently showcased at various international conferences, including the Collegium for African Diaspora Dance and the International Association of Blacks in Dance.
In acknowledgment of his scholarly and creative achievements, Sargeant has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the 2019 FA Ada Belle Winthrop King Art Endowment Award, the Grant Wood Fellowship in Interdisciplinary Performance at the University of Iowa in 2022, the UNESCO Dance Fellowship in 2020, and the 2021 International Artist Award from the Ayjano Folklore Heritage and Performing Arts Institution in Nigeria. Additionally, he received the Mayor of the City of San Fernando Citation Award in 2023 for his significant contributions to the arts and culture sector.
Sargeant is deeply invested in promoting artistic excellence and cultural preservation, having established the Kieron Dwayne Sargeant Dance and Dance Education Foundation in Trinidad and Tobago in 2020. This initiative aims to nurture artistic communities and provide educational opportunities that empower dancers and educators throughout the African-Caribbean diaspora.
Kieron Dwayne Sargeant continues to be a vital presence in contemporary dance, effectively linking academia, performance, and community involvement through his unwavering commitment to the preservation and innovative development of African-Caribbean dance traditions on a global scale.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an interdisciplinary artist, my canvas is the human body in motion, painted with the vibrant hues of Caribbean and Africanist sensibilities. Grounded in the profound traditions of dances from Trinidad & Tobago, and extending its embrace to the broader tapestry of the African diaspora, my choreography speaks a language that is at once ancient and contemporary.
This rootedness in African-Caribbean dance is not an end, but a beginning. From this foundation, I weave in threads of American Contemporary and Modern Dance. The result is a unique blend that pays homage to tradition while breaking new ground, evoking histories while engaging with the present. Through my work, I aim to showcase the seamless integration of diverse dance lineages and celebrate the boundless possibilities of movement and expression.
In the rhythmic dance of the African Caribbean, I see, feel, and express a living chronicle that captures the visceral pulse of the African Diaspora. Drawing deeply from the Griot tradition, my dance becomes more than just movement—it is a testament to lived experiences, a vocalizing of stories passed down through generations. As I dance, family ethnography melds seamlessly with religious undertones, grounding my work in authenticity while allowing the freedom for contemporary interpretations.
Complementing my dance, my costume designs are more than just ornamental. They are the tangible representation of Africanist culture and black aesthetics. As I craft each piece, I'm guided by the rich tapestries of tradition and the vibrant hues of Caribbean life. Every stitch, every hue is a homage to the art, culture, and spirit of our people. My mission is to ensure that through my work, the beauty, resilience, and dynamism of the African Caribbean legacy shines forth, blending tradition with modernity, and history with the present.
I am committed to knowledge production through scholarly research, the exploration of Caribbean and African diaspora movement, and the choreographic process.
Photography- Meagan Helman
“Culture is that part of education which enriches the mind. The dance is traditional and tradition gives security. Tradition is the foundation on which cultural elements can be built for one element impinges upon another.”
— David, Christine. Folklore of Carriacou.
Photography - Meagan Helman