Becky Umeh is a Nigerian artistic director, choreographer, singer, actress, and dancer.
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 filmsJezebel, 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, 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, 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. See 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, Umeh has worked with producers such as Hugh Medrano, Chuck Mike, Nancy Havlik and George Faison. 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, 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 productionThings 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 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
