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Saleemah E. Knight is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary artist in concert and commercial dance, a TV-personality, intersectional dance researcher, choreographer, television host, lifestyle influencer and professional dancer. She is currently a professor of dance and an original founding faculty at the highly-acclaimed University of Southern California, Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Saleemah graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Arizona, School of Dance. As a graduate fellowship recipient, she also received a Master of Fine Arts Degree in dance from the University of California, Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts. Knight’s performance and choreographic credits include: Disney’s The Lion King Broadway Musical, Beyoncé Live at the Billboard Music Awards, The Daytime Emmys, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, ABC’s Live! with Regis and Kelly (presently ABC’s Live! with Kelly and Mark), Country Music Television (CMT), Chris Brown and additional internationally recognized choreographers, artists and televised productions. Knight’s background includes training in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Tap, Modern, and Hip-Hop Dance from outstanding private schools and dance masters throughout the United States; they include, yet are not limited to: The University of Arizona School of Dance, the University of California, Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, River North Dance Chicago, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, The Edge Performing Arts Center, Millennium Dance Complex, Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, Steps On Broadway and Broadway Dance Center.
Saleemah’s performance credits encompass many well-known choreographers and entertainers. Knight was selected to perform the work of celebrated concert dance choreographer Donald Byrd in the World Premiere of "The Harlem Nutcracker". The premiere garnered nation-wide attention and a televised debut on CBS Network’s "Sunday Morning". As a trainee of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Saleemah danced the iconic works of choreographers such as Bill T. Jones, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and Bebe Miller. She has danced the notable and politically charged work of UCLA faculty Victoria Marks, entitled "Not About Iraq" and also performed the work of Contemporary Ballet choreographer Jodie Gates, honoring the Rite of Spring, entitled the "Sacre Project". Knight is a past select company member for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago II. In addition to her concert performance credits Saleemah has performed commercially with The Pussycat Dolls, Tatu, and Matisyahu at the MTV Movie Awards. She is featured on the Jillian Michaels Fitness DVD series entitled, "No More Trouble Zones" and "Banish the Fat, Boost Your Metabolism", currently streaming worldwide. Saleemah danced lead with Chris Brown in Ludacris’ music video, "I Know What Them Girls Like" and made a guest appearance in Jamie Foxx’s "Blame It On the Alcohol" music video. She was also featured on Gatorade’s Mission G, Episode 3 of "Leave It On the Floor" featuring well-known artist, Will.I.Am of The Black Eyed Peas. Knight choreographed Christian Audigier’s Spring Ed Hardy Fashion Show featuring America’s Next Top Model winner, Whitney Thompson and danced on tour with actor and recording artist Tyrese for the "TGT Tour" featuring recording artists Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank. She also danced with Tyrese on the Transformers Movie and The Fast and the Furious movie promo tours. She has appeared on Country Music Television (CMT) as a featured dance instructor and television personality for the series, "MADE". Her performance abilities have deemed her the recipient of The University of Arizona’s Medici Fine Arts Scholarship, the Brian Friedman Millennium Dance Scholarship, the Gus Giordano Scholarship, Coca Cola’s Leadership Scholarship, as well as fellowships and awards at the University of California, Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts.
Saleemah’s choreographic expertise has grabbed the attention of entertainers worldwide. She has been the select choreographer for various performers, ranging from MTV Asia, to The Bay to the A Tour, featuring well-known recording artists E-40, Rick Ross, Lil’ Jon, Busta Rhymes and Bosko Kante and has done artist development for Akon’s former singing sensation, Tami Chynn. Saleemah’s Contemporary Dance work entitled "The Drowning" was performed at the American Cancer Society Benefit Concert located in Beverly Hills, California, benefiting cancer patients across the United States. Saleemah provided movement coaching for Latin rap artist Daddy Yankee’s "Limbo" music video, which has garnered 1.4Billion+ Youtube views, and was the choreographer for Daddy Yankee’s "La Noche de Los Dos" music video (200M+ Youtube views), both directed by Jessy Terrero of Cinema Giants. Knight was also commissioned by Cinema Giants to choreograph the "Que Viva La Vida" music video (208M+ Youtube views) for international Puerto Rican pop artist, Wisin (formerly of Wisin y Yandel) as well as the "La Malquerida" music video (9.7M+ Youtube views) for Latin pop princess, Chiquis Rivera. Saleemah has provided movement coaching for recording artist Wiz Khalifa as well as created choreography for the live performance of Jan and Dean’s legendary hit "Surf City" on behalf of the Cigna Healthcare memorial gala.
As an instructor Saleemah offers repertoire and technical development to students in concert and contemporary jazz dance as well as movement coaching for recording artists. She provides discussion workshops regarding the pursuit of the arts in the concert, commercial and academic arenas. At USC, Knight was enlisted in 2014 with a small group of scholars to write the original curriculum for the USC Kaufman School of Dance. Knight designed eight original courses for the school, ranging from required general education (GE) theory courses, to syllabi for dance technique classes, which resulted in Kaufman School’s official inception into USC in 2015. Prior to instruction at USC, Saleemah has offered professorship at the University of California, Irvine and Santa Ana College in Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop Dance. She has taught Modern and Jazz Dance technique as a guest instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and as a graduate associate at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has been an invited guest speaker and master instructor at Loyola Marymount University, Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s pre-professional trainee program, Tremaine Dance Convention, CLI Studios, Laguna Dance Festival, Ballet Plus Miami, New Century Dance Project, Dance Teacher Magazine’s Dance Teacher Summit, Break the Floor’s "Dancer-Palooza", Revel Dance Convention’s "Summer Dance Fest" and the Dance Educator’s Collective, among many other nationally and internationally recognized dance organizations, workshops and festivals. Saleemah is a recurring guest instructor at the prestigious Debbie Allen Dance Academy and Debbie Allen Middle School. Knight was also an international master teacher and choreographer for the DAR Jazz Festival, located in St. Petersburg, Russia. In the spirit of accessibility, Knight continues to offer free dance outreach classes to low-income inner city youth.
Saleemah E. Knight currently teaches technique and theory courses in world studies, Jazz Dance and popular culture on faculty at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. She choreographs live productions, music videos and teaches master classes worldwide. Saleemah is known for her on-going guest master classes in Jazz and Contemporary Jazz; she was featured in Dance Teacher Magazine as a leading university professor and instructor in jazz dance. Knight has been a guest speaker for Rihanna’s "Ladies Night" women’s empowerment event sponsored by Fenty x Rihanna and Shiekh Shoes. Saleemah is currently a featured historian on UPROOTED: The Journey of Jazz Dance, an international award-winning film and documentary, which premiered on HBO Max, on which Knight appears alongside legendary performers such as Debbie Allen and Chita Rivera, notable choreographers such as Mandy Moore and Josh Bergasse, and renowned scholars such as Thomas F. DeFrantz. She continues to bring her academic expertise, professional and vibrant attitude to recording artists, dance programs, performing companies and academic universities worldwide.
