HANAN HAMEEN
NEW YORK & CONNECTICUT, USA /
AFRICAN DIASPORA
Photo: Baidy Ba
"My fight, my cure, my way. I'm a Lupie-Licious Warrior baby!"
Photo: Mistina Hanscom
HANAN HAMEEN (New York & Connecticut / African Diaspora)
Music: "Wll You Be There by Michael Jackson
I began to cry every day, lost my appetite, lost weight. I started having” bad thoughts” as I called them, to not worry my family and friends. Those thoughts consisted of death, dying, suicide. I felt like my life was taken away from me and I worked so hard for it. A life without dance for me is worse than death. It felt like my life was gone, no longer mine and that no one understood. The self -help tips made me even more depressed because they suggested things that I was unable to do now due to my Lupus. Up and down, tired two days, energized on the third, pain every day, sleep during the day, awake at night, 28 pills and therapy...
Hanan Hameen S.C.A.R.S. Story (New York & Connecticut, USA // African Diaspora)
Lupus Lupus go away,
I pray they find a cure someday
For you have come and changed my life,
To pain, fatigue, weakness, and strife,
It hurts to dance and sing my songs,
I need a nap to work all day long,
But I am a fighter, I'm very strong,
And friends and family help me along,
I won't give up,
I'll keep pushing through,
Taking my meds and vitamins too,
Unpredictable flares,
The ups and downs,
Been struggling for 9 months now,
I need for this Lupus to go away,
Please find a cure,
For this I pray.
~ March 4, 2011
Ms. Hanan Hameen, Doctoral Candidate is the Founder of the Artsucation™ Academy Network, Ms. Hanan’s Dance and Beyond, New Haven Hip-Hop Conference, Keepers of the Culture Performing Arts Company, Official Junteenth Coalition of Greater New Haven, and the Premiere Dance Company at Neighborhood Music School. Ms. Hameen is also Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) DanceAfrica Candle Bearers founded by her dance grandfather Baba Dr. Chuck Davis, and an Adjunct Professor at Gateway Community College through a partnership with the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.
Currently, Ms. Hameen is pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Walden University, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Administration, Master equivalent in Dance Education, Master of Science in Educational Leadership with an Advanced Certificate in School Building Leadership from CUNY Bernard Baruch College, 92nd Street Y Harkness Center Dance Education Laboratory Alumni, a Lupus support group facilitator, an author, dance mentor, and curriculum developer.
Before Lupus diagnosis in 2010, Ms. Hameen performed with 13 dance companies, instructed at 8 colleges and universities in NYC and CT, choreographed for major and independent artists, founded 6 dance companies, and owned/operated 4 dance schools during her dance career of over 30 years. Now being employed disabled, through Artsucational™ events she uplifts the community domestically and abroad in 4 countries.
Ms. Hameen’s awards and recognitions include three honors societies and Arts Council of Greater New Haven 2018 Phenomenal Woman and Artist Commission Awardee. SHe is also a Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange Awardee. Her doctoral research interests are on STEAM education, culturally relevant instruction, and gifted and talented African-American youth.
During this pandemic of 2020, Ms. Hameen is hosting an online diasporic class series with former artists from Dance Africa and national dance companies.
