Videographer/Composer/Musician
School of Dance
Farai Malianga, born and raised in Zimbabwe, began his career in African Dance in Colorado with Leticia Williams’ Harambee and Musical Director Judy “Fatu” Henderson. Upon arriving in New York he began studying dance and drum with pioneers Yousouf Koumbasa, Mbemba Bangoura and Ronald K. Brown. Performing with the Masters; Chuck Davis in BAMs ‘Dance Africa’, Reginald Yates and Heritage O.P. for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre for their 40th Anniversary. He has worked with Companies including; Harambee , Umoja , The New Jersey Chamber Orchestra, Obediah Wrights Balance, BSRC, Def Dance Jam, Juxtapower and Opus With Musicians; Roy Ayers, Wunmi Olaiya,, Manchild Black, Akua Allrich, Melanie Charles, Scott Patterson, Saycon Sengbloh, Amma Whatt!, Nomsa Mazwai and Nakia Henry.
Producing Amma Whatt’s EP “Maybe” and remixes for Saycon Sengblogh’s album “Hottentot” and Nomsa Mazwai’s “Maybe I”. In Theatre; with the Off Broadway production of “Darker Faces of the Earth” directed by Trezana Beverley and on the Broadway Stage in the musical ‘Fela!’ In Film; International Domestic Violence Series produced by Joe Rodman as well as Kasi Lemmon’s film “Black Nativity”. Also Performing for the Public Theater in 2021 for their Shakespeare in the Park reimagining of “Merry Wives of Windsor” set in Harlem and consequently appearing in the HBO documentary “Reopening Night” cataloguing the return to Central Park. Malianga’s composition credits include commissioned works for Camille Brown, Karen Loves’ Umoja, Christal Browns’ Inspirit Dance Companies and “Jenaguru” An African Creation Myth for the Smithsonian. Recently scoring music for the the Dance Documentarys “Black Stains” and Kehinde Ishangi’s “Not My Enemy” produced and edited by Tiffany Rhynard.
As a videographer he produced and directed; Wunmi Olaiya’s music video “Fit Body”, the documentary piece “Kalakuta Broadway!” (During his time in “Fela,”) Summit Academy Charter School in Red Hook (tracking the affects and recovery of a school impacted by hurricane Sandy) for the Play Hush Hush by Aquaila Barnes based on the book of the same name by DeShannon Bowens and for 651 Arts for their workshop series “Home in a Time of Brooklyn” Most recently Editing the archival documentary for “Kumbuka” the longest active New Orleans nased West African Dance troupes in collaboration with Cultural Ties, Kelly White and Sulé-Joel Adams. Malianga has also worked as both Sound and Multimedia Designer for “The Power of the Unknown” a collaborative project under the direction of Dr Darian Parker and Daaimah Taalib-Din. Farai Malianga is honored to be joining FSU as a tenure track Proffesor with a focus on Music for dance and choreography. This year teaching Rhythmic Analysis, Music for Choreography, Digital Audio Recording while also providing music support for African, Dunham and Contemporary classes.
