Babatunji is a dance artist, choreographer, and creative innovator based out of Oakland. Though never formally trained as a child, Babatunji was always moving his body to the beat. At the age of 15, he discovered the art of hip hop. Following this epiphany of love, he grew up through his teens breaking and popping on street corners in Hilo, Hawai’i. After being “discovered” by a local dance instructor, he began his formal training in various styles of dance, including ballet. This would inevitably lead him to Lines Ballet’s Training Program, and from there into the company.

For over a decade he has worked with one of the greatest American choreographers, Alonzo King. As a freelance dancer, Babatunji has worked with companies Post:ballet, Ishida Dance Company, SFDanceworks, tinypistol, Ballare Carmel; as well as performed works by choreographers and artist such as Adji Cissoko, Yue Yin, Danielle Rowe, Brett Conway, Rich and Tone Talauega, David Harvey, Mike Tyus, Vân-Ánh Võ. Additionally, his work for film includes features in Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs’ Blindspotting on Starz, as well as Misty Copeland’s short art film Flower. In 2015 Babatunji was given a Princess Grace Award, as well as a Chris Hellman Award for his outstanding achievements and promise in the world of dance.

Over the past 8 years, Babatunji has developed a unique movement language, blending his background in ballet, contemporary, breaking, and hip hop. He has choreographed for Berkeley Ballet Theater, Boston Dance Theater, Post:ballet, Trolley Dance, SFDanceworks, ZiRu Dance, among other Bay Area companies. As a solo artist, Babatunji has performed internationally, collaborating with visual, sound, and technical artists of countless genres. His work has been seen at Museum of Dance, Lion’s Jaw performance + dance festival, København Danser, and SFJazz in collaboration with Terri Lyne Carrington.

He is immensely grateful to his mom for providing him with every opportunity and the guidance of her wisdom along the way.