Bawren Tavaziva - Biography
1976Born in Masvingo, Zimbabwe photo of Bawren
1980Family moves to Harare
1990Joins Biza Combinations as singer
1991Starts dance classes with the National Ballet's City Youth Dance Group
1993Starts working with Tumbuka as an apprentice and joins the company after 6 months
1995Wins a scholarship to attend the Montpellier Choreographic Institute's Summer Festival
1997Choreographs 'Wachona' for Tumbuka Dance Company, Harare, Zimbabwe
1998Moves to the UK and works with Jazzxchange and Sakoba Dance Theatre
1999Joins Union Dance Company
1999After Image, Dance for Camera, 'The Lift'. Choreographer: Carol Brown
2000Joins Phoenix Dance Company photo of Bawren
2001Thea Barnes commissions original music for her piece entitled 'Brawta'
2001Invited performer to the PAL Choreographic Dance Lab
2001Begins freelance career as an independent dance artist and choreographer
2001Doug Elkins uses Bawren's 'Woman go find yourself a fool' in a work for Union Dance Company
2001The Mission - National Black Choreographic Platform UK Tour. Commissioned to create 'Holla Out'. Bawren writes the music
2002Guest Artist with Union Dance Company. Re-works 'Holla Out' for their 2002 season
2002Site specific commission at the New Art Gallery Walsall, Birmingham to celebrate Black History Month
2003Resolution 2003! The Place, London. Choreographs 'I do not own a shy tongue' to original music
2003Receives an Arts Council England Continuing Professional Development Award under Pro-Motion
2003Awarded a Trailblazer Fellowship from Dance UK and ADAD photo of Bawren
2003Choreographs 'Tsika' for The Mission 2003, commissioned by State of Emergency Ltd
2003Choreographic commission for ACE Music and Dance Company, Birmingham
2003Choreographs 'Gule Dance' for ZONE3, commissioned by Jacksons Lane, London
2003Choreographs 'Mystic Chant' for HIP Festival, The Place, London
2004Forms Tavaziva Dance Company
2004The company performs at the Pole Pole Festival in Antwerp, Belgium
2004Finalist in The Place Prize Competition, sponsored by Bloomberg
2004Tavaziva Dance Company undertakes its first tour of the UK, with the production 'Kumusha - I am Home'
2005Tavaziva Dance receives Regular Funded Organisation status from Arts Council England
2005Choreographs 'Worlds Apart'. Co-commissioned by Royal Opera House 2
“... Impressively large, too, is Bawren Tavaziva's Umdlalo Kasisi whose rich fluid structures build seamlessly to evoke currents of love and loss”

Judith Mackrell
The Guardian