Life and career
Yemi Akinyemi Dele was born in 1981 in Communist Czechoslovakia and grew up in Liberec. He was raised by Nigerian father who had previously studied at the University of Economics in Prague, and by Czech mother. At the age of four, his father was arrested as part of an armed coup and could not return to Czech Republic for another 18 years. With the advent of internet connectivity in Eastern Europe, Yemi utilized his technological skills to locate his long-lost father, resulting in the rediscovery of his father and an extended family unit.[2]
This newly found family included his brother, who courageously faced life with Down syndrome, as well as three sisters and his father's new wife. In 2008, the family successfully relocated to Prague, marking a significant chapter in their lives and reuniting them after nearly two decades of separation.
Yemi identifies as a queer man and advocates for the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights worldwide.
Yemi and his projects have garnered significant attention and recognition on a global scale. Prominent publications such as The New York Times, Daily Post, The Guardian, and ABC News have featured articles about his work. Yemi has also shared his insights in a live interview with American CNN and has been prominently featured on the covers of leading Czech magazines, including Forbes and Muži v Česku.
Career
At the age of sixteen, Yemi moved to Prague for education and work. Soon, he began to teach dance in the Netherlands and Sweden and study Street dance in Los Angeles at MaDonna Grimes, a Hollywood dance school.
In 1999, Yemi returned to Prague, Czech Republic, where he founded JAD Dance Company (JAD DC),[3][4] a Czech and international team of dancers and choreographers. Yemi's works and performances have been-well received in many cities around the world including Tokyo, London, Barcelona, Bombay, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Paris and New York.[5]
With his interest in art, Yemi completed a degree at the Central European Advertising Art Institute, focusing on art directing and copyrighting.
Yemi also produced the first music video for Ben Cristovao and the music video of American rapper Turbo T. Double's song ATOMS.[6]
JAD Dance Company
Through JAD Dance Company (JAD DC), he focused on his original dance style called Street FUSION. One notable work of JAD Dance Company is their collaboration with Kanye West as his principal (main) dancers in his 'Runaway (2010 film).[7] Later on, Yemi eventually also set up Dance Academy Prague (DAP); in which people from diverse age groups and ability/experience in dance can come and learn various dance styles such as Hip-Hop, Modern Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, MTV style, Dance Hall etc. from choreographers with diverse nationalities (up to date, Yemi teaches Street FUSHION in DAP). After various training/practice sessions, some students at DAP are given the opportunity to perform live in the streets of Prague, in stages for various corporations and occasions as well as in local and international competitions.[8]
JAD Production
In 2010, Yemi founded the globally award-winning production company, JAD Productions, whose portfolio includes clients such as Google, Apple, Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, adidas Originals and Mercedes Benz. In 2022, JAD was also recognized for its digital innovation and non-profit initiative responses to pandemic challenges in Central Europe called Anti-Panic. JAD’s original productions range from Teniskology, a European sneaker festival; to Ynspirology, a music, art & culture festival; to Cycles, an immersive theatrical experience.[9]
Work with Kanye West
In 2010, the hip-hop rapper Kanye West hired Yemi to choreograph ballet-inspired sequence in the Runaway of the "Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" album.[10][11] The piece was well received and Kanye West commissioned Yemi to create choreography for West's Runaway performance in Los Angeles for VMA's 2010 and for Saturday Night Life performance of "Power" and "Runaway".[12] The collaboration continued with Yemi creating choreography for other songs of the "Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" album for Kanye West's global tour. West tweeted about Yemi,[13] who was also quoted in GQ Magazine regarding Kanye West [14]
Work with Charlie Straight
The following year 2011, Charlie Straight, a Czech indie-rock band, asked Yemi to direct their music video, "School Beauty Queen",[15] which was later awarded the Music Video of the Year in 2011 by MTV Czech.[16][17]
Moonshot Platform
In 2021, Yemi founded Moonshot Platform Inc., a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization previously operating from Europe, whose mission is to seek and accelerate emerging leaders and their organizations around the world who work on solutions to the 21st Century Grand Challenges & SDGs focused innovations. The platform, supported by former U.S. Secretary Madeleine Albright, hosted five conferences across Europe and the U.S. in 2021 with over 650 C-level change-makers, 60 international speakers and reached over three million people.[18][19]
In 2022 the platform hosted Moonshot Awards - The Global search for social innovators that received applications from 88 countries. Moonshot is also committed to provide mentorship to its members and hosted Moonshot Young Leaders Camp for 50 young change makers and their senior mentors in Massachusetts in 2023.[20]
Other works
As a performer, Yemi has acted in several foreign productions such as Chronicles of Narnia II - Prince Caspian,[21] Red Tails, Unfaithful Klara (Italy, 2009)[22] and the Czech series, Ordinace V Růžové Zahradě. Yemi also performed and led choreographies of six series of the most popular TV show on TV Nova - Tvoje tvář má známý hlas.
Yemi was also the first Czech correspondent for MTV Europe and became the host of a popular Czech TV show, ESO.
As a dancer, he performed in a principal role in the original Czech musical, Monte Cristo for two years.
In 2013 Yemi released his debut maxi-single Equals.
In 2014, Yemi was chosen by the readers of MF Dnes among the 24 most influential personalities in the Czech Republic.
Since 2017, Yemi is one of the first Czech ambassadors of sustainable development goals and one of the three Goodwill Ambassadors for the Ministry of foreign affairs in the Czech Republic.
In February 2019, American TV station CBS began to broadcast a new talent show The World's Best and Yemi was chosen to be among 50 professional judges from all around the world.
In 2019, Yemi starred in Apple's Life on iPad Pro worldwide advertising commercial campaign.
He has delivered interactive seminars about the future of intergenerational creativity as a keynote at TEDx and the Czech Singularity University Summit (2019).[23]
He is also the ambassador of Sustainable Development Goals under the UN for the Czech Republic and was appointed as Czech Goodwill Ambassador by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2019.
Yemi is also an electromobility ambassador for Mercedes Benz, Czechia.
In May 2020, he became the first Czech inductee in the Henry Crown Fellowship Network at the Aspen Institute USA. He also earned program's scholarship.
Spaceflight
In 2021, Yemi A.D. submitted an application for the dearMoon mission, a privately funded mission to orbit the moon backed by Yusaku Maezawa. This visionary initiative sought eight individuals from diverse creative backgrounds to make the journey to the moon aboard a SpaceX rocket. In the spring of 2022, Yemi successfully secured a spot in the preliminary group of 20 candidates.[24]
Yemi's selection for the lunar mission was confirmed on December 8, 2022. He now plays a key role in the dearMoon project, sponsored by Yusaku Maezawa, which aims to facilitate a lunar expedition in 2023 for artists, visionaries and creators. This mission, using Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship rocket, marks a significant milestone in Yemi's career path. Through this expedition, he aims to inspire and empower young people around the world.[25]
