choreographer, dancer, theatre practitioner, pedagogue

Maša Kagao Knez (1978, Ljubljana) first came into contact with performing arts through the work of her mother Jasna Knez, a dancer and choreographer herself. Maša trained with different international teachers in Slovenia and abroad and in 2006 graduated from Georges Momboye School for African Traditional and Contemporary Dance in Paris. In 2013 she graduated also from the Dance Academy in Ljubljana and in 2021 finished her BA in Art of Movement at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. She has been engaged in different kinds of projects as choreographer, dancer and actor in institutional theatres as well as independent companies. She created many performances, among others also Black Skin, White Masks (2021), Free Standing (2020), Concert for Mam and LakeLess (2017), The Rite of Spring (Flota Institute, 2016); Momentum. Avenue of captured moments (Studio 25, Baobab, Cankerjev dom, Dance Theatre Ljubljana (2015); Dia Diasso Diasspora (Baobab, Cankarjev dom, 2013), etc.

She has been working closely with theatre director Ivana Djilas in Dance Theatre Ljubljana, Slovene National Theatre Drama, Ljubljana City Theatre, Mladinsko Theatre, Slovene National Theatre Nova Gorica, Slovene Folk’s Theatre Celje …

Between 2009 and 2014 Maša ran Baobab Arts and Culture Association, which she co-founded with dancer Dalanda Diallo and musician Damir Mazrek in 2009. The association produced performances and organised different art projects as well as the international festival of African culture Baofest. Since 2015 Maša has been the artistic director of Institute 25 and Dance Studio XXV in Ljubljana. Besides choreographing and dancing she has been regularly teaching African and contemporary dance at Dance Studio XXV, the Dance Academy Alma Mater Europaea and giving workshops at home and abroad. In 2013 she received the Ksenija Hribar Award in the category dancer by the Slovenian Contemporary Dance Association. In 2016 her duet LakeLess with musician Murat won the third prize at the XX. Festival of Choreographic Miniatures in Belgrade.

Websites: Maša Kagao Knez / Dance Studio 25

 

PERFORMANCES

COLLABORATIONS AS CHOREOGRAPHER IN DANCE, THEATRE, FILM

COLLABORATIONS AS DANCER

COLLABORATIONS WITH JASNA KNEZ

COLLABORATIONS AS ACTOR

COLLABORATIONS IN FILM, TELEVISION, RADIO

PEDAGOGICAL WORK

PRODUCTION WORK

AWARDS