Dasan Ahanu

Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Dasan Ahanu has used his southern roots to craft his own brand of creative expression. In addition to performing, Dasan has hosted many poetry, jazz, Hip Hop, and cultural arts events across NC. Performing with a number of notable emcees, poets and writers, he has amazed audiences from the underground to academia in cities from St. Louis to Texas. As an actor, Dasan has been a cast member of the hip-hopera, "Right is Right" and a Harlem Renaissance production, "Images", which was produced by National Ensemble Theater and featured at the National Black Theatre Festival. He is one of the founders of Black Poetry Theatre (BPT) and has been a cast member in four productions. Two of BPT's productions, "Herstory of Love" and "Definition of a Hero", Dasan wrote and co-directed. Since finding a passion for slam poetry Dasan has competed regionally and nationally for five years as a founding member of the Bull City Slam Team out of Durham, NC. A lyricist with a thirst for being on stage, Dasan is truly an artist with presence.
Since falling in love with the stage and microphone, Dasan has also used his talents and connections within the arts circuit to aid in developing the community and pushing for social change. He has worked as an organizer on such issues as war, social injustice, workers rights, domestic violence and sexual assault; planned and facilitated community programs for Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies; conducted creative writing and performance workshops at middle schools, high schools, and colleges throughout North Carolina; and spent time working with at-risk/court-involved youth. Dasan has been a speaker or workshop facilitator at a number of notable conferences and symposiums on cultural arts, politics, literature, and the arts as a tool for literacy. A believer in the power of creative expression as an educational tool, he is currently a teacher at Duke University's Young Writer's Camp, creative consultant and resident artist at the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham, NC and an artist-in-residence at Saint Augustine's College in Raleigh, NC.
Dasan has promoted his own series of shows and collaborated with other promoters to provide some of the best arts and music events in NC. His work is featured often on National Public Radio. He has been noted for his appearances on "News and Notes with Ed Gordon" and "State of Things with Frank Stacio". Dasan's writing has also been featured in online and print publications. Having signed with NC independent record label Amp Truth Records, he teamed with up and coming music producer Picasso to produce "The Jim Crow Jackson Experiment". Their self-titled debut album is an amazing blend of spoken word, rap, soul, reggae, and blues. The album showcases both artists' unique talents and was released both domestically and internationally. This is Dasan's first major release, but his third CD. He released "TPI: Twisted Panoramic Ideology" in 2001 and "The White Experience: Fall into the Page" in 2004. Dasan also self published his first book of poetry entitled "The Innovator" in 2005. Following in the footsteps of artists from the Harlem Renaissance to the parks in Brooklyn, Dasan seeks to create art that tells stories that intrigues people's minds, touches people's hearts, and captures people's attention.