Anito Gavino (formerly known as Annielille ANI Gavino) is a Filipinx movement artist, choreographer, teaching artist, and cultural worker whose life work centers on decolonial art activism through a research-to-movement performance practice. A native to the island of Panay, Philippines, Anito immigrated to the United States in 2000, and danced professionally with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Kun Yang- Lin/ Dancers, Ananya Dance Theater. Currently residing in Lenape lands, Gavino directs her project-based company Ani/MalayaWorks, a project-based dance theater company founded in 2014. She started the company as a way to teach her daughter, Malaya, about her native Philippine Islands and its many beautiful traditions. These processes are now shared with kapwa (community), an important element in Anito’s work. She utilizes dance, yoga, film, and literature as vessels for inscription, dialogue, and spiritual journeys with the Asian-American community at large. Her work has been generously supported by the MAPfund, National Performance Network, Leeway Foundation Art for Social Change (2019, 2020), Leeway Transformation Award (2021), Velocity Fund, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, and supported by Swarthmore College, Painted Bride, Barnes Foundation, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Movement Research at the Judson Theater, Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and more. Annielille writes for a dance publication, thINKingDANCE, an MFA in Dance graduate from Hollins University, and an adjunct professor at Rowan University. She also finished her 200 hour yoga certification from Studio 34 in West Philadelphia where you can find her teaching “Everyone is a dancer” yoga. Learn more.

Si Anito ay isang katutubo ng Panay, at isinilang sa Maynila at lumaki sa kanyang probinsya, Iloilo. Siya ay nagtungo at nakipagsapalaran sa Estados Unidos taong dalawang libo (2000). Nakalipas ang panahon at nagtungo sa taong dalawang libo at labing apat (2014) kung saan siya’y napanatili sa Estados Unidos at sumayaw sa mga kumpanya katulad ng Rod Rodgers Dance Company, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Latin Ballet of Virgina, KYL/D at Ananya Dance Theatre. Siya ay lumilikha ng mga sayaw upang mailabas ang kanyang saloobin sa pamamagitan ng pagsasadula. Siya rin ay gumawa ng isang grupo ng mga mananayaw na Pilipino at Asiano at ipinagalan itong, Ani/MalayaWorks. Sila ay nagtatanghal sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang estilo na may malalim na kahulugan at kwento tungkol sa pamilya, kultura, komunidad, buhay imigrante at reklamasyon. Sila ay nag tatanghal sa iba’t ibang lugar katulad ng entablado, kalsada o museo kasama ang kanyang anak na si Malaya Ulan. Ginawaran siya ng Leeway Transformation Award noon 2021, Leeway Social Change Grant 2019 at 2020, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, Scribe Video Center Planning and Finishing Grant, Independent Philadelphia Media Fund, MAPfund 2020 at MAPfund 2022 para sa kanyang bagong proyektong, Sinawali at Primx. Siya ay sinoportahan ng Painted Bride, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Barnes Foundation at marami pa. Siya rin ay isang profesora sa Muhlenberg College at Manunulat sa thINKingDANCE.