Michelle Bach-Coulibaly is a performance artist and educator who, since coming to Brown in 1987, has created over 40 original pieces of contemporary movement theatre for the concert stage that investigate socio-political canvases, cross-cultural narratives, and embodied texts. At Brown University she directs New Works/World Traditions, a research-to-performance troupe of actors, musicians, dancers and imagists who develop new theatre for national and international festivals, educational venues, and for the concert stage.
As a long time RISCA supported artist for school programming and education, Bach-Coulibaly has conceived, written and performed over thirty different educational programs that regularly tour nationally and internationally that utilize the power of performance to service public health, sustainable entrepreneurship and egalitarian exchange. Since 1990, her work in Mali has been focused upon building Yeredon, a research center for cultural preservation, international collaboration and social activism. Yeredon is the home for the Bloodline Project, a unique international collaboration and edutainment program to combat the devastating effects of malaria and other debilitating calamities.