Djassi DaCosta Johnson is a native New Yorker, dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, photographer, writer and designer.
A product of dance scholarship programs across the city (Ballet, Hispanico, Harlem School of The Arts & Clark Center), Djassi received her BA in Anthropology and English from Barnard College, Columbia University, while in the fellowship program at Alvin Ailey.
Djassi has apprenticed, performed and toured with, Dance Brazil, Earl Mosley, Bill T. Jones, Hernando Cortez, Urban Bush Women, and was a featured soloist with MOMIX for 8 years, among others. After living abroad in Brazil and then Italy for 7 years, Djassi returned to NYC and began working in front of the lens on film and TV (The Get Down, The Knick, THE INTERN and BOLDEN!), as well as experimenting with her choreography from behind the lens.
Her choreography has been showcased in Essence and Nike fashion and trade shows, in fashion films and in her own film work. She has choreographed for film and and television in Italy (I Racomandatti, “CREW 2 CREW”, Lionsgate) and collaborates internationally with visual artists, including Eddie Peak’s PERFORMA 13, Brendan Fernandes’ DISGUISE/ IN TOUCH for the Brooklyn Museum, and Lia Chavez's LIGHT BODY at Isabella Rossellini’s farm, as well as with jazz musicians (for Vision Fest, Arts for Art, Shapeshifter Longue). In 2017 Djassi was the Creative Director/ Choreographer for Museum of Sex’s VR exhibit featuring music by DIPLO.
Djassi is a published writer, and, currently the dance writer for Copenhagen based lifestyle & fashion magazine, KINFOLK. She has designed clothing, costume and accessories for her line, dja. founded in 2002 ans is co-founder and part owner of the store Radical Women in Brooklyn, NY where she sells her handmade canvas and leather bags. Djassi completed her Masters of Fine Arts in Dance & New Media/ Technology at NYU Tisch in 2018 and is currently working on several dance films and mini-documentaries in order to extend the reach of the access to dance as a transformative social art and cultural agent for change.
