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HISTORY

In the Spring of 2004, three BFA students in the Department of Undergraduate Drama at the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, asked Dr. Daniel Banks – an internationally known theatre director and faculty member – to help them advance the work they had been doing on their own, outside their training studios and academic classrooms. As the group of students and curricular activities grew, the Hip Hop Theatre Initiative was born – a response to student desire to marry their acting training with their love for and commitment to Hip Hop culture. Under the leadership of Daniel Banks, from 2004-2009, the Hip Hop Theatre Initiative (HHTI) produced at NYU:

  • A curriculum of six courses
  • A series of workshops and lecture demonstrations
  • A full-length devised Hip Hop Theatre performance: Re/Rites
  • Community action projects in Ghana, South Africa, Mexico, Pittsburgh, and New York.

Since 2009, HHTI has been a sponsored project of DNAWORKS and has continued its work in Israel, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Italy, and Serbia.

For more information check out the following links:

  • HHTI One-Sheet
  • HHTI Three-Year Report (2004-2006)

MISSION

  1. To integrate the rigors of theatre training and making with the performance elements and politics of the youth-driven, grassroots, activist culture of Hip Hop.
  2. To train participants to lead arts-based workshops and to facilitate dialogue about the social issues pertaining to Hip Hop.

Media:

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Please join the conversation about Hip Hop Theatre around the world on our Facebook page. Grab the mic and share your work and thoughts!

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HHTI in South Africa

HHTI workshop at the Sibikwa Community Theatre in the East Rand. Check out this interview with participant Leboxa Kolani.

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Hip Hop Theatre Initiative

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