Oshalla Dee
An actress by trade, Oshalla Dee began theatrical studies in her teens, training at American Conservatory Theaters' (ACT) Black Actors Workshop-part of the Summer Training Congress- and performed as a young actress with director, Ron Stacker-Thompson at the groundbreaking Oakland Ensemble Theater.
These and other early trainings created a solid foundation and a profound respect for the institution of theater and its cohorts: Literature, history, and ultimately, dance--her passion and spirit expression.
She assists her partner, Jean-Pierre Sighe, in teaching the Pre-Tango: Connection Workshop, the Magdalena Technique: Tango for the People, and the Afro Roots of Tango.
Producing Community Theater has given her opportunities to work with diverse populations, including an invitation to choreograph for American teens and their international peers on a tour to the former Soviet Union for Peace Child the Musical-1990. She has written, and directed several youth focused intergenerational plays as well as poetry-performed as Spoken Word:
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Certified as a Yoga Instructor & Therapist in Bangalore, India by Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) and a Certified ITT Pilates Mat Instructor, she incorporates wellness tools to reduce stress and promote positive health.
A member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Actors Equity Association, she is commercially represented by STARS Talent Agency-San Francisco, and a graduate of the California Institute for Integral Studies, (CIIS)
Oshalla is the adopted mother of two--now grown--men, a beloved auntie and a mentor. The following is a mere sampling of individuals who have influenced her life and work: Professor Walter Turner, Marcus Garvey, Katherine Dunham, Octavia Butler, Kwame Nkrumah, Fredrick Marcus (Father) Cheikh Anta Diop, Josephine Baker, Ralph Ellison, Cicely Tyson, James Baldwin, Zora Neal Hurston, Jane Fonda, Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Nina Simone, Oscar Micheaux, Maya Angelou. Gloria Mae Janas (Mother) Viola Janas (G.Mama)
She is personally committed to bringing attention to the plight of pollinating bees, and to the support of small farmers, both whom, from her view," literally feed the 'belly' of our existence."