Becky Umeh

Becky Umeh is a Nigerian artistic director, choreographer, singer, actress, and dancer.

For other people with the same name, see Rebecca (disambiguation).

Becky Umeh
Becky Umeh 2010
Born
Becky UzoAmaka Umeh

Anambra State, Nigeria
Occupationchoreographer, dancer, actress, (Business co-owner at Liberation Arts)
Years active1985 till present Current Location = Washington DC, USA
Websitezomema.com

Biography

Early life

Umeh was born in Anambra State, Nigeria but grew up from the age of five in Lagos. In 1992 she gained national visibility as an actress in the Nigerian Television Authority children's drama Tales by Moonlight. She was also cast in the independent films Jezebel, Twist of Fate, Living Ghost, Amazon, and others.

From 1994 to 1998 Umeh studied traditional and contemporary African dance, on full scholarship, at Ivory Dance Academy, founded by National Troupe of Nigeria member Steve James. While studying she toured with the school's group Ivory Ambassadors, and conducted field research on traditional dance in Nigerian villages.

Nigeria, 1998 to 2002

Upon graduation, Umeh served as the Dance Director of Ivory Dance Troupe for five years, directing and producing shows for Guinness, Mobile, Chevron, Seven-Up Bottling Company, etc. After a brief tour to Ghana, she travelled to Paris during World Cup '98 with the soccer team of Nigeria. Becky Umeh launched her singing career and founded her band,[1] and together they produced the album "Aiye".

From 1998 to 2001, Umeh co-hosted a T.V show Dance Jam Competition. In 2002, following her production of the cultural fiesta Afrifest,[2] where she brought the dance troupes of Africa together, Umeh served as assistant choreographer for the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant and the winner became Miss World 2002. Places where Becky Umeh performed include: the French Cultural Center, the Goethe-Institut, the Nigeria Music Awards, and the federal capital Abuja. She was active in pressing the Nigerian Government to provide artists with forms of support which were not harnessed to the Government's own propaganda goals.[3][4]

See[5] for a fuller account of her acting, directing, and production work in this period.

U.S.A., 2002 to present

Since moving to Washington DC in 2002,[6] Umeh has worked with producers such as Hugh Medrano, Chuck Mike(African Studies University of Richmond), Nancy Havlik (Stage Director) and George Faison (New York choreographer). She has performed for non-profit organisations such as the Red Cross, the Nigerian Embassy, and many cultural centres, universities, and churches. In 2005 Becky Umeh went on tour with Toby Foyeh and Orchestra Africa to North and South Carolina, Massachusetts, and New York's Syracuse Festival.

From 2004 till present, she's continued to work and performed with Malcolm X Drum Ensemble led by Doc Powel and volunteered as Community Outreach Coordinator for UAA Foundation, a non-profit organisation with mission to raise awareness about violence against women www.UAAfoundation.org.

In 2006 Umeh choreographed the Lion King production sponsored by Metropolitan Fine Arts in Virginia. In 2009 Umeh formed the Zomema Dance Ensemble,[7] which performs traditional and contemporary African dance works under her direction. In 2011, she wrote and published her first stage play "Legend of Abiku Zombeh". She was tapped as language facilitator and choreographer by Richmond University in their seasonal Stage production Things Fall Apart written by Famous Nigerian novelist and poet Chinua Achebe. From 2004 to present, she selflessly offered dance therapy to hundreds of people at the Merridiance Hill Park (Malcolm X park) on 16th street of Washington DC starting when the weather gets warm.

Choreography
  • 2002: Gladiator Cheerleaders, for MTN South African Television
  • 2004: Dancer, for Hispanic Gala Theater in production "Candonbe"
  • 2006: Lion King for Metropolitan Fine Arts in Virginia
  • 2008: You think you can dance! (Dance Drama)
  • 2008: Contemporary Bata
  • 2009: Benin
  • 2010: Akoto
  • 2010: "Sisi" (Soukous; song by Becky Umeh)
  • 2011: (Actress, choreographer)"Things fall Apart at University of Richmond, Department of Theatre Arts
  • 2011: Caribbean festival, Adams Morgan day festival and Hispanic Fiesta.
  • 2011: "Toron" (High Life; song by Becky Umeh)
  • 2011: "Korofo" (Afrobeat Modern; song by Becky Umeh)
  • 2012: "Bata Columbia" (Nigerian Bata and Masquerade to Rumba Columbia Music)
  • 2012: "Butterfly" (High Life; song by Becky Umeh)
  • 2012: "Ekwe" (Soukous; song by Becky Umeh)
  • 2012: "Jokale" (Contemporary Nigerian: song by Becky Umeh)
  • 2013: "Obodo Coupe ( Fast past, category- world music)
  • 2013: "Angels and Demons (Rock style)

Stage
  • 1995: Aruku Shanka by Felix Okolo (Nigeria)
  • 1999: Trial of Oba Ovoramwen by Bayo Oduneye (Nigeria)
  • 2000: Obaseki by Pedro Obaseki (Nigeria)
  • 2004: Candombe! Tango Negro USA
  • 2011: Things Fall Apart USA
  • 2012: United Aid for Africa Foundation Concert. NY USA
  • 2012: United Aid for Africa Concert, Gabon Embassy and Ivory Coast Embassy, Washington DC USA

Films

Film appearances
  • 2009: twisted fate

Television

Music (as alejo)
Year Title Producer Publisher
1998 Aiye Nelson Brown
2000 Sisi
2009 My Creation Jamix (Abuja Nigeria) CDBaby
2010 Zomema Jamix (Abuja Nigeria)
2010 Mama Nelson Brown
2010 Ayaya Nkeng OneMicStudio
2010 Stand up Alejo, Nkeng OneMicStudio
2010 Toron A.J. Alemanji, Nkeng OneMicStudio
2010 Geleleno Jamix (Abuja Nigeria)

Travels
  • France, Ghana, South Korea, Canada, and currently lives USA

Bibliography
  • Umeh, Becky; Armstrong, Lena (2009). Becky Umeh, Artistically Known as Alejo (Google Books reprint ed.). Washington DC: El Rumbero Europeo. GGKEY:ZZQYC3U4B9A.

References
  1. Shobowale Alder (16 April 2001), Alejo prepares for music scene, EKO TODAY, Nigeria
  2. African Youths Dance for Unity at Afrifest, The Post Express, Nigeria, 2 April 2002
  3. A hard road to travel, THE GUARDIAN (Nigeria), 16 June 1999
  4. as Alejo Berates Govt, The Post Express, Nigeria, 2 April 2002
  5. Lena Armstrong, Becky Umeh (9 January 2010). Becky Umeh, Artistically Known as Alejo. Google Books. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  6. Armstrong, Lena (January 2003), Becky Dazzles in Debut, Washington Nigerian Times, DC
  7. Kristin McGrath (2 October 2009). "Zomema drummers keep the beat in Columbia Heights". American Observer. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
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