kNoname Artist | Roderick George
“Roderick brilliantly advocates for visibility, expression, and representation for those in the Black and LGBTQ+ community…ground-breaking.”
— Pamela Tatge, Executive Director of Jacob’s Pillow
A proud native of Houston, Texas, choreographer Roderick George uses his artistry to probe society’s most vulnerable and questionable moments. George takes on profound injustices from the lasting grief and toxicity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to the violence of contemporary racism and public health practices against Black Americans. He crafts deeply resonate works that balance the harsh reality of their subjects with the poeticism of movement. Alongside his devoted collaborators, George’s collective kNoname Artist provides a trenchant reflection on modern identity.
A 2024 Princess Grace Award recipient, in recent years George has brought his work to global dance centers including Festival Quartiers Danses, Suzanne Dellal, Zurich Tanzhaus, Hollins University, New York Live Arts, Pavilion Noir| Ballet du Prejlocaj, Sophiensæle Festspiele, Pocantico Art Center, Fall for Dance North/ NIGHTSHIFT, and Kaatsbaan Cultural Park. In each of these spaces, George and kNoname Artist have gained international recognition for their unique movement style: a layering and blending multiple forms ranging from classical ballet to breakdance to acrobatics. This rare fusion acts as a meaningful vessel for kNoname Artist’s exploration of diverse histories and culture.
George spent his formative years training at Houston Ballet Academy, The Alvin Ailey School, and the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA). As a rising dancer, George was a YoungArts Winner and Presidential Scholar of the Arts. He danced for Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Basel Ballet/Theater Basel, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, and The Forsythe Company. Since beginning his choreographic career, he was nominated in the Emerging Choreographer Series for the 2012 YAGP and was selected as an Emerging Choreographer for Springboard Danse Montréal 2013. George has been commissioned by dance companies and institutions, including Bodytraffic, Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Ballett Basel, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, SUNY Purchase, University of Utah, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, and The Juilliard Summer Intensive.
Under the moniker kNoname Artist, Roderick George has developed multiple evening-length works, including Venom and The Missing Fruit – WIP. With a striking voice, these pieces meld dynamic movement, music, and scenic landscapes to explore themes of queerness, blackness, and human rights. In 2024, Roderick George received the inaugural Jacob's Pillow Men Dancers Award.