Emmanuel Anthony
Obeya

Mani Obeya is a Nigerian born, British raised dancer, singer/songwriter and choreographer. He trained at Arts Educational School, Ballet Rambert and Dance Theatre of Harlem before becoming a soloist at Stadt Theater Heidelberg, National Theater Mannheim and Unterwegs Theater Heidelberg. This was followed by 4 years working with TTW under the direction of Liz King. Guest choreographers included Catherine Guerin, Nigel Charnock and Simon Frearson before becoming a soloist at the Volksoper Wien where he danced and cochoreographed until 2003.

He later became a guest performer with The Forsythe Company from 2006.
He also became a member of Michael Keegan Dolan’s Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre in 2004, performing worldwide for over a decade before Michael disbanded the company and re-formed it as Teac Damsa. He has been its Rehearsal and Tour Director for Swan Lake and Mam, which have both toured around the world to date, and both nominated for an Olivier Award.
He was an Assistant Director at the Irish National Opera for the highly acclaimed Orfeo ed Eurydice in 2018/2019.
In 2019, he was also associate choreographer for Michael Keegan Dolan’s work.
The Only Tune at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, a collaboration with Sam Amidon and composer Nico Muhly.
He has been a Choreographer at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Deutsches Theater Berlin, Stadt Theaters Hannover and Bremen and Schauspielhaus Dresden and Düsseldorf.

Mani has worked with Austrian choreographer, Doris Uhlich, on her work Gootopia, which toured internationally.
He was a performer in Karin Pauer’s collaboration with visual artist Katrin Hornek on the work Testing Grounds at Secession, Wien.
He has performed with Samuel Feldhandler on both George Tremble and Soso, the first two parts of his choreographic tryptic, the third of which is planned for 2026.
Mani recently collaborated with Clara Frühstuck and Samuel Schaab on Pulver which was premiered in 2025 at Zacherkfabrik,Wien in the MusikTheaterTage Wien.
Mani is a regular contributor to the ImpulzTanz festival and Public Moves.
Mani has been a guest lecturer and choreographer at both the Anton Bruckner University, Linz and MUK, Wien since 2012.
Mani is also the vocalist of Viennese Electronic/Rock band Sofa Surfers with whom he has made 5 albums and won 2 Amadeus awards.