Rani Welch (TribeofHuman)
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 I am originally from Alabama. I received my BFA in Dance from University of Alabama, where I studied on scholarship in Lyon, France and at the Harvard Dance Program, where I worked with Joe Goode and Victoria Marks-- they made a huge impact on me as a young dancer, coming from Alabama I had seen nothing, and was completely changed as a person and as an artist. I later went on to receive my MFA in choreography from University of Iowa where I studied with David Berkey, Alan Sener, and Francois Martinet, among others.  During this time I was also fortunate to study on scholarship at Jacob's Pillow with the late Bessie Schonberg.  While at Iowa, I created my non-profit touring modern dance company Highly Trained Pedestrians, and all of us youngins eventually schlepped ourselves to New York.  

Five years later I became interested in everything but dance, and ventured into the world of Theater and Improvisation and writing for Comedy, (sketch and stand-up).  I performed in many off off broadway productions, independent films and hosted stand-up at places like Caroline's on Broadway and Don't Tell Mama's.  I wrote a full-length play called 'girl clothes' about a dominatrix and her relationships with clients.  
In 2008, I decided to come back to the downtown dance scene, the one I'd become bored with and frustrated by so many years before.  Bored because I was young and anxious, frustrated because ten years ago it wasn't so easy to have your work shown.  There was no facebook, and I barely even owned a cell phone. It was a struggle to say the least.  I also felt that my work was just a mush of everything else that was going on at the time, and that it wasn't truly an individual expression.  I was doing exactly what I had learned in grad school - making work that was traditional, classical modern dance formula, with really beautiful, technical well crafted movement-- something that was solid and valuable, but wasn't very
satisfying to me.

Recently with the birth of my new company Tribe of Human, I have begun to experiment with bringing all that I know to my work -- not just movement, but comedy, drama, and something kindred to cinema.  Work that is hyper-present and real and breathing. Not just something with nice lines and tricks. I'm enjoying the process tremendously.  I couldn't be happier, but it's clear to me now that leaving dance was a smart thing to do for me, and i don't regret it.  Sometimes you have to step away from something you love to fully grasp your love for it.  

Since 2008, Tribe of Human has performed at DNA, WAX,  the Hatch Series, Steps, Greenspace, movement research's open performance at DTW, Fridays at Noon, PMT, Dumbo Dance Fest, Cool New York, 60x60, Battery Dance Fest, and a full length program WILM-690 in collaboration with Adrian Jevicki of Movement Pants, for The Brick Theater's Anti-Depressant Festival.

We recently performed for Avant Magazine's 'Combustion', a guerilla style performance on the streets of lower Manhattan organized by Bradley Smith, the editor-in-chief of Avant, alongside Sidra Bell Dance New York and 'The House of Dangerkat'.  I am currently co-directing and choreographing with Levy Lee Simon, winner of the 2007 Audelco Award for best playwrite,  on his original musical 'Hot', to be produced in 2011. Over the holiday break I am choreographing a video for musician Ernest Gonzalez, and performing with a member of my company Nasim Haroun Mahdavi.  

So life is good- things are happening--and that's....good.  

My Favorite Dance Companies Are:

 The work of Pina Bausch, Hofesh Schechter, DV8, Chunky Moves, Batsheeva, Gallim, LeeSaar, Aszure Barton, Company XIV, and  Sidra Bell 

My Occupation:

Choreographer

The last dance performance I loved was:

 LeeSaar at PS122

My other interests include:

 Film, Cooking, Hiking, seeing other art

I am a dance enthusiast because:

 Because seeing movement that tells stories is deeply satisfying to me. 

If I could have dinner with any choreographer / dancer, it would be:
Because:

 Pina Bausch - dude, because she's the King

I am inspired by:

 everything - but most of all human behavior and experience