Dana Iova-Koga

Dana Iova-Koga began her intensive study of movement at New York University’s Experimental Theater Wing, under such stellar teachers as Tamar Rogoff, Mary Overlie, Wendell Beavers and Maureen Flemming. As a student at NYU she performed in productions directed by Annie B Parson & Paul Lazar (“Little, Big”) and Maureen Flemming (“Mondala” 92nd St Y.) She went on to tour Eastern Europe with La MaMa’s Great Jones Repertory Company in a dance opera version of “Oedipus”.

Her exploration of dance deepened when she joined Min Tanaka’s farm and dance company, Tokason, in the countryside of Japan in 1997. From 1997-2002, she danced in dozens of performances under Tanaka’s direction. Performances played in theaters large and small in Japan, the United States and Europe, as well as in rice fields, forests and museums. As part of Tokason, she also farmed vegetables and green tea.

From 2003-2005, Iova-Koga lived on an off-grid homestead and continued to explore the body in relation to nature, through Permaculture gardening and solo performances including  “Firefall,” 2003, “drop deep suite,” 2005 and “May’s Landing,” 2005.

Dana has performed in many inkBoat productions between 2008 and present including  “c(H)ord,” “Crazy Cloud” “ODD” “Without Us” “95 Rituals” and “Second Storm”. In 2011 she made her directorial debut with inkBoat’s production of “Line Between.”

Dana’s research in the intersection between dance and the natural world that was kindled during her time with Tanaka has become the driving force behind her explorations. She co-founded inkGround with Shinichi and teaches the annual “Dance on Land” workshop with him and guest teachers (Sherwood Chen, Dohee Lee, Charles Colten) on the Lost Coast of Humboldt County.

Dana is a Wudang San Feng Pai lineage holder through her Shifu David Wei of Wudang West.

She holds certifications in Holden Qi Gong and MovNat®. She is mentored by Jozef Frucek and is an “Inspire by FM” instructor with Fighting Monkey.