Menzo

Cherish Menzo (b. 1988) is a bold and visionary choreographer and performing artist rooted in Amsterdam and Brussels. A graduate of the Urban Contemporary (JMD) program at the Amsterdam University of the Arts (2013), she has carved a distinct place in the world of contemporary performance by fearlessly pushing physical and conceptual boundaries.

Her work often centers the Black body and draws from a vivid mix of inspirations—90s/2000s hip-hop culture, industrial music, rap, manga, science fiction, and imagined futures. These elements come together in her pieces to create layered, glitchy, and otherworldly landscapes that challenge societal norms and provoke thought.

Over the years, she has collaborated with celebrated choreographers like Eszter Salamon, Akram Khan, Leo Lerus, Lisbeth Gruwez, Jan Martens, and Nicole Beutler. But it’s through her own works that Menzo’s voice truly resonates.

In 2019, she premiered JEZEBEL, a powerful reinterpretation of the “Video Vixen” trope in hip-hop, aiming to reclaim and reframe the narratives surrounding Black female bodies. Her 2022 follow-up, DARKMATTER, took audiences on a journey through speculative futures, exploring how the body can shed societal labels and expectations.

Both works have toured internationally and received critical acclaim for their originality and emotional weight.

In recognition of her groundbreaking contributions, Menzo was awarded the prestigious Charlotte Köhler Prize in 2022. With each performance, she continues to redefine what the body can say, how it can move, and what stories it can hold.