Malia'Kekia Nicolini

Pedagogy of Play Specialist, Presenter & Speaker,ReIndigenization Facilitator & Consultant,Devised Theater Choreographer/Director

E-mail Website

Malia’Kekia Nicolini (‘O ia/she/they) is kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian), they received their inoa (name) traditionally from an inoa po (mothers dream) that held both an inoa ho’ailona (symbol) and their inoa ulaleo (ancestors voice). Malia’Kekia is an internationally touring actress and teaching artist who has dedicated the last eight years of her life to Play Exploration. ‘Oia is a choreographer, artistic director, plant lover, speaker, arts curriculum designer, gratitude enthusiast, and proud TAA member. Malia’Kekia is the Co-Founder of B4 The Other Creations specializing in teaching play-based strategies for the realms of education and business. B4 travels throughout the US and internationally, as play is a universal language. B4’s intimate work is led through movement, not lecture, and grounded in a Pedagogy of Play. Training includes: artEquity’s BIPOC Leadership Circle, Arts & Cultural Organization Management (American Repertory Theater at Harvard), BFA (Music Theater), and MBA (Mindfulness in Business). 'Oia has collaborated with Penumbra Theatre, Howlround Theatre Commons, ArtsEmerson, Company One, Indigenous Direction and more. Malia’Kekia weaves all of their experience together to empower dreams and create sustainability towards a play-integrated world.

The workshops and residencies Malia'Kekia offers around the country, devised through B4’s Pedagogy of Play, include: “Auditioning Reimagined: Banishing Self Doubt,” “Graceful Feedback: How to Offer, Listen, and Respond,” “Re-Indigenize Your Learning,” and “Play Filled Leadership.” These offerings, designed for educators or students, are the classes Malia'Kekia feels she most needed in adolescence in order to learn how to validate oneself, trust in our own answers, and receive grace. Mostly, Malia'Kekia creates for that young artist inside who wants to learn through joy, not fear. 

Learn more about Malia’Kekia by listening to B4 The Other Creations episode on the Building Our Own Tables Podcast: From Perfectionism to Play, hosted by Yura Sapi and produced by Howlround Theater Commons.

 www.b4theother.com 

Malia'Kekia Nicolini