Check Out Zoe Carter’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Carter.

Hi Zoe, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
I’m a dancer and creative whose been in love with the arts for my whole life. I started really training intensively when I was 11 with Cici Kelley, and from there, my passion for dance just blossomed. I trained with a number of great teachers in and around the ATL area, and then I started studying at Spelman for my Bachelors in Dance Performance & Choreography in 2020. When I was a sophomore, I took a chance and applied for a drone piloting course with the icon Julie Dash, director of Daughters of the Dust, and our esteemed Dr. Ayoka Chinzira, “one of the first African American women to write, produce, and direct a 35mm feature film, “Alma’s Rainbow,” developed at Sundance Institute.” Working with these innovators pushed me to explore how dance, aerial videography, and immersive experiences could be incorporated all together. It was then that I began to consider myself not only a dancer but an interdisciplinary artist. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth ride for sure. Growing up as a dancer who committed to the process a bit later, at 11 as opposed to 4 or 5, made me always feel like an underdog. Not to mention, some of the studios and environments I trained in were predominantly white, so being a short, curvy Black dancer definitely made me feel like I stick out. Sometimes, I wonder if artists will ever truly feel like they belong anywhere. More recently, though, as I transition into exploring my creativity, it can be really hard to balance my time and commitment to dance. My relationship to it has changed as I’ve grown, but I’m learning that’s okay too. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
As I love to say, I do whatever makes me happy and makes me money. More specifically, I’m a director, choreographer, and set designer. My work centers around world-building and examining the complexities of the human experience. Working in the documentary space has this way of opening up the world and asking us to have more compassion for others, so I’ve been enjoying myself. I’m currently a non-fiction intern for Proximity Media, which is co-founded by Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther and Fruitvale Station. My work centers the intersections of culture, power imbalances, and revolutionaries that have the courage to envision the future. I’m most proud of my commitment to my community and creating spaces where everyone can thrive and collaborate. We’re in this together. 

I will actually be premiering my thesis short film Ajenije on April 11 at The Windmill Arts Center. There will be an Immersive Screening, a VR Rage Room, and a reception. The work is about Mal, a talented yet overlooked dancer who learns to reckon with her rage and darkness through a queer love story and coming of age set against the vignette of Black punk music. 

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be the music that surrounded my childhood, my mom would play Fela Kuti every weekend growing up as our cleaning music, and it’s a tradition I’ve carried on. My dad was who made me fall in love with hip-hop. I remember riding around in his huge jeep when I was a kid listening to Kanye’s graduation album. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @zoebcarter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-carter-86237b232/
• Youtube: @zoecarter
• Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ajenije-exploring-black-femme-rage-through-film-and-interactivity-tickets-858618459927?aff=oddtdtcreator

Image Credits
Santi Simms
Ari Skin
Zoe Carter