New Kyd (they/she) is a movement artist, DJ and sound artist based in Zürich. Born in the UK to Nigerian parents, Kyd’s practice has developed at the intersection of diasporic identity, ritual and experimental dance performance art. They hold a BA in Dance from the University of Roehampton; they examine / practice dance through a historical (social) lens and somatic movement practices.
Kyd’s artistic practice blends movement, sound and abstract storytelling through a hauntologist perspective. Their practice is rooted in modern, post-modern and somatically driven forms. Their work draws from tracing Yoruba cosmologies through contemporary muses, ritualised performances and postmodern dance philosophical thinking. Kyd approaches performance as a site of transmission. Through repetition, sonic experimentation and embodied research; ritual, memory and resistance/persistence are explored within contemporary performance contexts.
Their work explores themes of urban isolation, invisibility, opulence, desirability and spectral resistance within contemporary city life. They find stories, voices and muses which are drawn from dance history, supernatural stories, popular culture and ritual practice to create a fragmented yet intimate choreographic and sonic landscape. Their work sits at the intersection of postmodern dance, ritual and diasporic embodiment. Kyd confronts Western narratives of independence and visibility while addressing dance as a structural and political condition.
Schaupielhaus Zurich ensemble (2018 – 2020), Trajal Harrells, Zurich dance ensemble (2019 - present) and a resident accomplice artist at Tanzhaus Zürich from 2020. Their collaborations include artists such as Ligia Lewis, Wu Tsang, Paul Maheke, Jeremy Nedd, Akram Khan, Kandis Williams and Tiran Willemse. Kyd has presented at institutions including: Tanzhaus Zürich, Gessneralle, Berghain Halle (Berlin), Movement Research at the Judson Church (NYC), Cabaret Voltaire (ZH) and Museum Rietberg (ZH).