Maša Kagao Knez works as a dancer, choreographer and theatre practitioner. She first came into contact with the performing arts as a child through the work of her mother, Jasna Knez, a dancer and choreographer herself. Maša was educated by various international teachers both in Slovenia and abroad and graduated in 2006 from Georges Momboye school for African traditonal and contemporary dance in Paris. In 2013 she graduated from Academy of dance in Ljubljana.
She has worked with leading Slovenian and international dance and theatre practitioners. As a dancer, actress and choreographer, she has worked in both big producing theatres as well as independent companies. As one of the founder members of the Arts and Culture Association Baobab (founded in 2009), she continues to spread the West-African culture by teaching African dances in the premises of Studio Baobab in Ljubljana.
Simultaneously, she continues to create dance pieces of various genres and cast sizes, most recently: Dia Diasso Diasspora (2013), quartet piece Nameščeni / Placed (2011), two-part solo piece Rojena zunaj svoje vasi, 1978 / Born Outside Her Village, 1978 (2010–2011), musical Delo na belo / Sunlighting (2011), children’s show A Visit to an African Village (2009), Moi, Toi, Nous (2009), Moja boljša polovica? / My better half? (2007), as well as shows which combine dance and music inspired by African dance and musical tradition: Birigaydi (2006), Abondan (2007), Ole- Eba (2008), , Kratke zgodbe / Short Stories (2011), Stopinje / Footsteps (2012).
In 2013 she received Ksenija Hribar award for the dancer.
In Studio Baobab she’ s teaching: African dance course, afro – contemporary dance course
