Thandiwe Shiphrah writes poems that you can dance to and she's been playfully using rhythm as a teaching tool for more than two decades. She is perhaps best known for recitations that reconnect words to their sonic roots and fully employ their capacity to awaken and inspire. Her performances have been presented in venues around the country and her writings have been widely published. She frequently performs with her husband and long-time collaborator, musician/composer Daniel Arite (in a duo formerly known as The Bosch Institute). They have co-produced two poetry and music CDs, The Secret Marvelous Instead (2002) and Biting the Peony (2009).

Through art making, exhibiting, teaching, and performing, Thandiwe has been passionately exploring the creative process and the ways in which the arts can inform and enrich our personal and communal lives. Her practice includes writing, drawing, painting, collage, assemblage, installation, sound art, video storytelling, workshop facilitation, and performance. She enjoys collaborating with other artists and community leaders in an ongoing effort to open doors to artistic expression for adults and youth who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities.