Germaul Yusef Barnes former dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company for nine years,
where he received the 2003 New York Dance and Performance Award-The Bessies. Mr. Barnes
received the Arts International Grant in 2003 that fostered his anthropological studies in a small village
called Kwahu Tafo in Ghana, West Africa. One of his highest achievements is assisting and
demonstrating for legendary choreographer/anthropologist, Katherine Dunham.

As Viewsic Expression-VE artistic director Mr. Barnes mission is to promote and present multi-media
dance performances, art exhibitions, and educational residencies. A new venture for Viewsic Expression
is Dance 4U Project that presented Black Bones in a showcase of works by Eleo Pomare, Bill T. Jones,
Leni William, and Germaul Y. Barnes. The Lublin International Dance Festival in Poland invited Mr.
Barnes to performer a shared program with Andrea E. Woods/Souloworks.

In 1993 Mr. Barnes moved to Berlin, Germany to performed with Tolada Dance Company (Joseph
Tmim, choreographer) and taught throughout Europe. He has received brilliant acclaim as a dance
instructor from prominent dance academies throughout Germany (TanzFabric, Ballet Centrum,
Milton's TanzSchool, among others). Mr. Barnes has taught at Skidmore College, University of Buffalo,
Black College Dance Exchange, Ghana National Dance Theater, Dance Masters/New York, COCA, Cleo
Parker Summer Intensive, 92nd Street Y, Harkness Dance Center, le Regroupement Quedecois de la
danse (Montreal, Canada), Lublin International Dance Festival (Poland) and Dance Olympus (National
Tour) as well as many others.

Returning to the United States in 1995, Mr. Barnes joined the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.
Mr. Barnes has also danced with Philadanco--Philadelphia Dance Company, Movement Source Inc.
Dance Co. and Group Motion Dance Company. Mr. Barnes has received many commissions to create
new dances for (New York)-Judson Memorial Church, Aaron Davis Hall, P.S.122, Danspace Project/St.
Mark Church,DanceNow/New York, Saratoga Arts Gallery, Dixon Place, (Arizona)-Phoenix Arts
Commission and has created eight new works for Movement Source Dance Company, (Ohio)-
Cleveland Contemporary Dance Company, (Africa) Ghana National Dance Company, and (Toronto, Canada)
Dance Immersions/ The Orphan Boys. Mr. Barnes' nine year collaboration with South African composer
Bongani Ndodana, he choreographed, danced and directed Uhambo an opera-oratiorio in Graham Town,
South Africa. In January 2003, Mr. Barnes choreographed and danced the opera Lâ'Histoire du Soldat
in Toronto, Canada.

Thollem McDonas (pianist, composer, improviser, vocalist) was born and raised in the San Francisco
Bay Area Feb. 23rd, 1967 of Irish and Cherokee descent. Not long after birth he began his musical
explorations, playing the keyboard musics from the Rennaissance through the 20th century. He has
toured across much of North America and Europe and released many albums through many labels. His
music is diverse, each album exploring wildly different paths. He has played in gamelan ensembles,
African drumming troupes, punk bands, improv duets+, in abandoned warehouses, jazz clubs, rock
clubs, concert halls, houses, gardens, and riots.

"my intention is to make music that is intellectual and playful and sexual and meditative and ferocious
and athletic and revolutionary and spiritual and political and loving and that shakes people awake, starting
with me first..."

"Unclassifiable and extraordinarily equipped, a travel through disparate musics. Thollem
McDonas redefines the concept of performance in solo pianoforte".
- All About Jazz, Italia

"...the result is the natural consequence of being intrinsically eclectic at heart. His inventiveness
is facilitated by his highly developed virtuosity."
- Eduardo Chagas, TomaJazz, Portugal

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