Andrea Vonny Lee

Dr Andrea Lee is Chair and tenured Professor of the Department of Dance & Folk Dance at Laney College in Oakland, California, and the Founder and CEO of Cultural Links (www.culturallinks.org), a global education company advancing African Diaspora equity in study abroad through sustainable tourism and international exchange. She is also Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Khanya Kude Arts & Culture in Gqeberha, South Africa. Dr Lee holds over 25 years of experience as a dancer, choreographer, educator, and social justice arts advocate. Her scholarly work centres African Ontology and Critical Dance Pedagogy, with emphasis on the preservation of African indigenous dance, racial equity, and transformational learning. She has presented at national and international academic conferences and contributed to the volume Equity-Driven, High Achievement: Assessment of Student Learning and Development (Ludvik, 2021). Her choreography includes the original musical Araminta! Harriet Tubman Lives, which premiered at the National Theatre of Ghana, is being re-staged in collaboration with theatre companies in South Africa. Dr Lee is a Fulbright Scholar and author of Blow the Whistle! The Morphogenesis of South African Pantsula Dance: From Resistance to Liberation, based on her research in South Africa. Her academic attainments include an Ed.D. in Educational Administration, an M.A. in Secondary Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography.