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 in 2006 she completed professional training at Georges Momboye School of Traditional and Contemporary African dance in Paris. In 2013 she graduated from the Academy of Dance in Ljubljana and in 2021 she completed her Master’s degree in the Art of Movement at the AGRFT (Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television) in Ljubljana.
As a dancer, actress and choreographer she collaborates with institutional theatres as well as independent producers (PTL, SNG Drama, Municipal Theatre Ljubljana, SNG Nova Gorica, SLG Celje, APT, Mini Teater). For the last few years she has been a regular collaborator of director Ivana Djilas.
In 2009 Maša, together with dancer Dalanda Diallo and musician Damir Mazrek, co-founded the Baobab cultural and arts society, which operates in the field of dance, music and theatre. She is artistic director of cultural institution Studio 25 and director of Diaspora, an artistic collective dedicated to the creation of dance and music productions.
She received a Ksenija Hribar dance award in 2013. Three years later she won the third prize at the XX. Festival of choreographic miniatures in Belgrade as part of the duo with musician Murat.
Since 2004, when she began her independent choreographic career, she has created more than fifteen original performances, including Rojena zunaj svoje vasi, 1978, Koncert za Mam, Lakeless, YAAMAAM, ker je bilo, kar je bilo in Plesni Teater Ljubljana, Nameščeni in Španski borci, Dia diasso diasspora and MOMENTUM Avenija ujetih trenutkov in Cankarjev dom, Črna koža, bele maske in Anton Podbevšek Teater.
