Mieke D
Mieke D (they/them) is a mixed-race, invisibly disabled, genderqueer femme of Chinese-Indonesian, Dutch and Irish descent living on Lenape land. With over 15 years as a cultural organizer, collaborative artist, and facilitator-educator, they devise spaces for liberatory storytelling and political education through community. They currently serve as Community Practice Coordinator at the Wilma Theater, Community Engagement consultant with Nichole Canuso Dance Company, Circle Keeper with the Restorative Justice Initiative, and an educator about town. They are excited to be both Story Circle facilitator and performer-creator on the upcoming Philly Asian Futures project with Philly Asian Performing Artists and Asian Arts Initiative!
As an artist, Mieke devises dance, theater, and performance art that is personal and political, comedic and earnest, sometimes “hilarious and disturbing.” Like a medieval fool, they might try to speak truth to power “with grace, wit and necessity”—and sometimes succeed. Mieke loves boundaries, boo hoos, big hugs and bao buns!
A cultural organizer at heart, Mieke’s work isn’t just about making art—it’s about making space. They love devising experiences that invite people to connect, heal, and grow through shared stories and creative expression. Whether through community programs, educational initiatives, or performance-making, Mieke is driven by a deep commitment to liberatory practice and social justice. Whether creating documentary theater, clowning, or leading solo performance rituals, Mieke aims to destabilize rigid definitions of race, gender, and nationhood while celebrating the body’s inherent resilience.
Awarded Grants
2025
Window of Opportunity Grant (WOO)
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Overview
Mieke D has been invited to serve as a performer and creator for Philly Asian Futures, a community-engaged, multi-disciplinary theatrical project that brings together Pan-Asian artists and elders to imagine Philadelphia's future. In preparation for the culminating performance in the fall, Mieke has the opportunity to participate in an in-progress showing at Asian Arts Initiative in May 2025. Leading up to this in-progress showing, they’ve been invited to learn from fellow Asian artists in dance and puppetry, which will allow them and their collaborators to develop shared skills, vocabulary, and material for the opportunity. These opportunities will deepen their work at the intersection of queer punk clown aesthetics and cultural organizing, while building relationships with fellow artists and developing new interdisciplinary performance material.
The WOO Grant will support Mieke with costs associated with trainings, documentation, and finishing funds for the in-progress showing.
2021
Art and Change Grant (ACG)
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Overview
Mieke D's project, Mortal Meal Services, is a site-specific, promenade-style play that takes audiences on a whimsical, interactive hero's journey to find wonder in the face of grief. This theatrical yet contemplative outdoor scavenger hunt includes rituals, stories, games, puzzles, riddles, songs, and many quiet moments to help audiences consider: What can death, disease, and disability teach us about survival?